THE USE OF 3D VIRTUAL REALITY IN ENDO-ULTRASONOGRAPHY FOR RECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA: A NEW CONCEPT, FOR A NEW SOFTWARE APPLICATION (HTTPS://WWW.3D-EUS.FR)

Aims MRI and rectal Endo-ultrasonography are key to the locoregional staging of rectal adenocarcinoma. Endo-ultrasonography has been criticised for being imprecise and unsystematic, because of the machine or of the operator. Moreover EUS images can be difficult to interpret for other specialists and for patients, medical records are various and there is usually a lack of systematisation.

The aim of this application (3D-eus.app) was therefore to address these limitations by developing a new software application to display the results of the rectal endo-ultrasonography in 3D clear pictures, with a complete systematized medical record.

Methods The application runs on the practitioner’s PC or Mac, independent of the ultrasonography computer. As the EUS is performed, results are recorded in the app by the nurse, capturing main data recommended by SFED for this procedure, producing a medical record with measures, utN classification and the localisation to sphincters and internal genital organs.

The feature of most interest to the practitioner is the navigation control, showing, the rectal carcinoma in the space. Then we find the 3, classic two D cuts, front, sagital and transversal, that can be modified selected like in MRI.

Results The software is an aid to make EUS more systematic and to support interpretation through the clarity of the images. In our experience, patients are happy to understand what we do, what they have, and why they would have surgery (and where it would be) or radio chemotherapy.

Conclusions In conclusion, the 3D-eus app is a new computer program usable as an aid to EUS for rectal carcinoma wich provides an understandable personalised medical record with pictures. Its use could be extended through further development, to other organs, to student training, and as a support tool for multidisciplinary coordination meetings and in announcement consultation. Further study are needed.