IMAGE-GUIDED SPINE SURGERY

Conventional imaging techniques are of limited usefulness in spinal na vigation, due to their lack of a ''three-dimensional perspective.'' An interactive image-guided approach has been developed that provides a three-dimensional image-space representation of surgical space, using a specially designed referencing system and computer workstation. The system is described and results from laboratory tests and clinical cas es are reported. It is concluded that interactive image-guided stereot axis can be a valuable tool in spinal localization because of its degr ee of precision and the increased margin of safety it can offer.