Augmented and Virtual Reality in Medicine

There is a growing interest in the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) among medical professionals illustrated by the recent and rapid increase in the application of these technologies to radiology, surgical planning, medical education, communication, and various therapeutic applications. This chapter summarizes how virtual and augmented reality is currently being used by practitioners as a Patient Specific Realization: to interact with novel 3D visualizations of patient anatomy and Final Anatomic Representations to improve patient care. The primary components of AR and VR simulations are summarized and presented in a system for classification to assist clinicians with choosing the most appropriate technologies for the desired application.