Augmented Reality in Cardiology: Enhancing Visualization and Precision

With the recent advances in augmented reality (AR), cardiologists can better understand three-dimensional (3D) cardiac anatomy and improve the accuracy of complex cardiovascular procedures. In this article, we describe the current AR technology, review studies investigating AR in cardiology, and speculate on its potential future applications.

When developing an AR system for cardiology, researchers should consider several components, such as image acquisition and 3D reconstruction from advanced cardiovascular imaging, image registration, rendering on display devices, and human-computer interaction. In this article, we reviewed AR applications in various cardiology fields, including coronary and vascular interventions, structural heart interventions, electrophysiological procedures, vascular access, and cardiovascular surgery. In procedural and surgical planning, AR can provide preprocedural 3D imaging of the cardiac anatomy. Real-time AR imaging potentially reduces procedural time, radiation exposure, and contrast use. It improves accuracy and success rates. Furthermore, AR improves healthcare providers’ training and education and may contribute to reducing the learning curve.

Applying AR in cardiology is promising because it provides a virtual heart anatomy in the physical world. Future studies are required to prove its clinical applicability and demonstrate its safety and efficacy.