Revista de Informática e Gestão em Saúde

Application of Virtual Reality in Colonoscopy

Hamid Moghaddasi, Hossein Beigi Harchegani

Introduction and Aim: Conventional colonoscopy is a gold standard method to diagnose colorectal internal lesions. However, this method has some problems because of which there is a necessity for substitution method. Virtual colonoscopy as a suggested method provides similar feeling of conventional colonoscopy for the endoscopy specialist through using virtual reality techniques. Therefore, the aim of this study is to inquire the usage of virtual reality in colonoscopy. Findings: Virtual colonoscopy uses techniques and image processing algorithms and simulation of images obtained of CT modality to create the same feeling as conventional colonoscopy. Conclusion: Although virtual colonoscopy has solved some of patients’ and specialists' problems, it cannot be used as a complete substitution method for conventional colonoscopy because of its limitations. In the future, it is hoped that the development of both artificial intelligent and virtual reality techniques results in creating more effective software that can be used as substitutions in performing conventional colonoscopy.