Physicians usually rely on medical images to diagnose patients with their disease. It takes many years of training to let alone understand an MRI. However, physicians explain and describe the diagnosis to patients using the medical image. For many patients, this can become confusing.
I created an app that allows patients to learn about the MRI from a 3D model perspective. First, I manually created a generic model of the spine to match a carefully selected spine MRI. Then I imported it into a Unity project to allow interactions.
One interaction includes rotating and translating the model for viewing in different angles.
Another interaction includes showing and hiding the material of the object. This allows the user to see through the 3D model and see where it corresponds to on the MRI.
A third interaction includes automatically moving the user through the spinal canal.
This app is built for the Gear VR, AR on the iPad, and 2D viewing on the iPad or Desktop. Use in the clinic and efficiency is currently being studied.