With the increase in medical imaging operations, a lot of oncology specialists are adopting digital reality technologies like AR and VR since there is enormous potential across different stages such as detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
It is true that AR and VR technologies have driven the gaming and entertainment industries, but they also have a very good potential to transform the healthcare industry since they can change a lot of traditional healthcare operations and branches in a number of ways, including radiology, oncology, training, and more. Still, at a very early stage, digital reality (AR/VR) technologies are helping care delivery specialists save lives and take critical decisions. These technologies have the potential to bring overall healthcare costs down. Considering the potential of VR and AR, healthcare may revolutionize the way diagnostic practice is carried out to view MRI and CT images.
AR and VR in Medicine
Globally, AR and VR revenue in the healthcare market is projected to grow from US$1.2 billion in 2021 to US$11.6 billion in 2028, a CAGR of 38.3%. Some of the fundamental factors expected to boost the growth of augmented and virtual reality in the healthcare market include technological advancements and digitalization in healthcare, favorable government initiatives, rising healthcare expenditure, and growing usage of surgical procedures and medical training.
Patient care management applications will lead the market for augmented reality and virtual reality in healthcare. The use of AR and VR in therapies and rehabilitation is increasing in the healthcare market. Rehabilitation applications will include their use in physical therapy and for the care of brain injuries, stroke, and other conditions.
AR and VR techniques are being increasingly adopted for use in surgeries and diagnostics. Systems such as touch surgery use virtual reality to provide a view of the patient’s anatomy and physiology, thereby providing opportunities for surgeons in the operating room. This, in turn, is expected to expand the growth of the market for augmented reality and virtual reality in healthcare. The growing adoption of AR and VR technologies in medical surgeries to optimize surgical procedures and increase the efficiency of treatment has been one of the key factors driving market growth over the past few years.
How can AR and VR Help the Healthcare System Handle Challenges?
Augmented reality (AR) is the technology that allows a smart device to display information, videos, and graphics in the real world. This technology allows the user to augment the real world by viewing additional data as it is incorporated into the real world. Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated reality created by computer technology where a person is completely immersed in a digital environment. The most widespread examples of VR are VR chats, Volvo test drive reality, The North Face’s hiking experience in Yosemite National Park, and an immense number of VR games.
Healthcare companies use AR and VR technologies to improve their customer experiences by effectively engaging them in healthcare activities. Doctors and healthcare specialists also benefit from VR and AR technologies by using them in operating rooms and classrooms. AR and VR technologies have a fast-growing market and are quickly gaining popularity in medicine and healthcare. Although both technologies are in their early stages of adoption in healthcare, they are already able to provide high-quality assistance to doctors and medical specialists in inpatient treatment and educate the public.
Advantages of Utilizing AR and VR over Traditional Medical Imaging Techniques
The depth perception achieved from 3D imaging used with AR or VR may provide visualization and additional characteristic detail such as microcalcification (a tiny abnormal deposit of calcium salts) and its patterns, such as compact clusters or a linear or branching pattern, to determine the risk of cancer. Thus, AR/VR imaging may decrease the amount of manual thresholding by providing more details about complex structures.
AR/VR environments may facilitate enhanced or additional digital content on radiology processing tools. An example could be the use of different colors to represent different parts of a complex structure or the use of different shapes like a cube or sphere (remember, AR and VR provide 3D imaging) to represent similar anatomies. A radiologist, surgeon, and patient can improve their communication and collaboration with computer-generated graphics with this additional information. AR/VR enabled imaging may provide additional arrows or note(s) in imaging for easier communication between the aforesaid. It may also improve overall patient-care procedures. Considering the advancements in head-mounted devices (HMD), AR/VR devices can provide a better interface and control. Advanced head-mounted devices can track head motion and accordingly facilitate virtual imagery. Such technology may allow a radiologist to deliver anatomical information quickly on a virtual surface and help them to understand details by providing the capability of zooming in on a particular part of the virtual image.
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