Supporting Shared Decision-Making Between Patients and Physicians: Using Asymmetric VR Interface for Collaborative MRI Visualization

The incorporation of virtual reality (VR) in medical practice has the potential to reshape how patients and healthcare professionals engage with diagnostic data. In line with this trend, we introduce in this paper a VR-based hybrid system for collaborative visualization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to increase patient awareness and enable shared decision-making. To that end, our VR system supports the loading and interactive manipulation of 2D and 3D DICOM-format MRI scans, offering intuitive exploration of diagnostic information. Furthermore, the system offers patients and physicians the choice between two synchronized simultaneous interactive visualizations: traditional screen-based and VR. This asymmetric session mode is designed to focus on delivering the best possible user experience for this specific use case, ensuring flexibility and enabling coordinated real-time collaboration. Consequently, by integrating intuitive interaction with advanced visualization, the system has the potential to enhance patient engagement and understanding, contributing to more informed healthcare decisions.