The study “Fast-track VR for Cardiac Imaging in Congenital Heart Disease” evaluates DIVA technology in comparison to 3D printing and 3D PDF visualization in the context of CHD. Three patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) were used to reconstruct 3D and VR models, which were then evaluated by a senior pediatric heart surgeon.
Results showed that both VR and 3D PDF/printed models effectively visualized all anatomical structures. However, the VR model provided better visualization of ventricular-arterial connections and their relationship with the great vessels in Case 2 and improved visibility of aortic arch anatomy and details in Case 3. Additionally, the post-processing time for obtaining VR models using DIVA was significantly shorter compared to the time required for 3D models.
In conclusion, VR directly applied to non-segmented 3D-MRI data proves to be a promising and efficient technique for advanced 3D modeling in CHD cases. It offers greater consistency and faster processing when compared to standard 3D-modeling techniques.