Visualization techniques for neurosurgical training in open source software

Image-Guided Neurosurgery (IGNS) systems use a set of techniques that help students and specialists in learning and planning of surgeries. The use of existing software for image-guided neurosurgery for applications in the area of education is limited because of its high cost. For this reason and due to the emergence of new tools based on open source software, reliable algorithms have been developed; these algorithms are able to provide a satisfactory user experience in the use of surgical simulators when compared with to commercial systems. This paper presents the development of two visualization methods useful in neurosurgical training and planning. The first allows the manipulation of volumes through cuts based on regular geometry, while the second allows the visualization of structures through cuts oblique planes. These were developed in 3D Slicer and applied to magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating performance, according to the very needs of the real neurosurgical domain.