A system for superimposing a medical image within the subject

3-dimensional (3D) representation of medical images is popular and helpful for understanding inner structures of the body. A previous medical imaging system has displayed the image on a monitor of the medical imaging device or a computer. If the observer can see 3D medical image within the subject, then more 3D realistic and direct diagnosis would be achieved. The authors have developed a system, a virtual medical imaging system, in which 3D, stereoscopic, motion (if necessary) medical image (virtual medical image) is superimposed within the subject via a see-through head-mounted display. The observer and the subject put position and orientation detectors so that the size and orientation of the virtual medical image could change in accordance with the movement both of the observer and the subject. The virtual medical imaging system could allow easy observation of the virtual medical image within the subject. This technique will be beneficial to clinics for purposes such as surgical planning.