Surgical simulation system using inner 3D structure display method

In surgical simulation, it is difficult to show 3D inner structure near the target or a current active point to specify processing position. One method uses some sectioning images to show the structure, but the sectioning image cannot show objects which do not contact the sectioning plane. Also it cannot show 3D structure and is required to observe the 3D structure using another inner structure display function before the practice of simulation. To conquer this point, we develop a surgical simulation system using multiple 3D images to show the inner 3D structure. This system uses four 3D overview images which are cut off by sectioning planes to show the inner structure; all the objects or parts of them are placed in half space which is made by the sectioning plane. Each image is updated in real time. By using this system we can get exactly the present inner structure which is modifying with advance of simulation. This system is proposed as an inner structure presentation method which can apply to a real time 3D surgical simulation system