The feasibility of surgical site tagging with CT virtual reality of the paranasal sinuses

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of tagging (highlighting) surgical sites using volumetric CT virtual reality of the paranasal sinuses in the planning for endoscopic sinus surgery. Twenty-five patients with significant paranasal sinus disease had a planned surgical site marked on 2D coronal images. This planned surgical site was then tagged and included on CT volumetric virtual reality imaging. Each case was evaluated as to the ability of the CT virtual reality to demonstrate the planned surgical site and its orientation with respect to adjacent superficial anatomy. For all 25 planned surgeries, the virtual images showed the entire surgical site marked on the 2D coronal images. In all 25 cases, the orientation of the planned surgical site to adjacent normal anatomy was well demonstrated. For surgery into the maxillary sinuses, tagging and electronic removal of the middle turbinates and uncinate processes mimicked the actual surgery and allowed complete visualization of the infundibulum and the planned surgical site. Planned endoscopic paranasal sinus surgical sites can be easily and reliably highlighted using CT virtual reality techniques with respect to the patient's normal endoscopic anatomy.