How molecular imaging will enable robotic precision surgery: The role of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and navigation
Open accessAbstract
Molecular imaging is one of the pillars of precision surgery. Its applications range from early diagnostics to therapy planning, execution, and the accurate assessment of outcomes. In particular, molecular imaging solutions are in high demand in minimally invasive surgical strategies, such as the substantially increasing field of robotic surgery. This review aims at connecting the molecular imaging and nuclear medicine community to the rapidly expanding armory of surgical medical devices. Such devices entail technologies ranging from artificial intelligence and computer-aided visualization technologies (software) to innovative molecular imaging modalities and surgical navigation (hardware). We discuss technologies based on their role at different steps of the surgical workflow, i.e., from surgical decision and planning, over to target localization and excision guidance, all the way to (back table) surgical verification. This provides a glimpse of how innovations from the technology fields can realize an exciting future for the molecular imaging and surgery communities.
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Many other domains of medicine beyond transplantation could benefit from AI, including precision medicine, AI-assisted computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, and AI-assisted integration and collection of patients' records.
“Moreover, while this manuscript focuses on the use of AI in transplantation, many other domains could benefit from it.”
From Artificial Intelligence: Present and Future Potential for Solid Organ Transplantation (2022) · cites this paper as [63]
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References 227 · Cited by 73
Research works printed but not linked: 4
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- Authors
- Wendler, T., van Leeuwen, F. W. B., Navab, N., & van Oosterom, M. N.
- Affiliations
- Technical University of Munich (DE)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wendler, Thomas
- Venue
- European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
- Published
- 2021-06-29
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 4201-4224
- ISSN
- 1619-7070 (ISSN-L)
- 1619-7089
- PMC
- PMC8566413
- OpenAlex
- W3176675455
- Cited by
- 73
- References
- 227
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 3
- FWCI
- 2.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Informationszentrum Lebenswissenschaften (ZB MED) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- mediaTUM (Technical University of Munich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- OPUS (Augsburg University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Technische Universität München
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Anatomy and Medical Technology
- Keywords
- molecular imaging, robotic surgery, precision surgery, minimally invasive surgery, surgical navigation, computer-aided visualization, artificial intelligence in surgery, surgical planning, target localization, surgical verification
- MeSH terms
- Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Humans, Surgery, Computer-Assisted, Molecular Imaging, Robotic Surgical Procedures
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