Spinal surgery using 3-D fluoro repairs fractures

Image-guided surgery has been conducted using new 3-D fluoroscopy software integrated into electromagnetic tracking technology. The software, developed by Visualization Technology of Lawrence, MA, and trade named FluoroCAT, turns 2-D images acquired from a mobile C-arm fluoroscope into 3-D images. These 3-D reconstructions make better road maps for image-guided surgery than conventional 2-D fluoroscopic images, according to the company. The surgery, performed at SUNY Upstate University Medical Center in Syracuse, repaired vertebral compression fractures, which occur frequently in patients suffering from osteoporosis. The FluoroCAT software has been cleared for marketing by the FDA and is undergoing user testing.