Smartphone Technology for Applications in Image-Guided Minimally Invasive Interventional Procedures

Smartphones contain powerful and enabling technology components that can be re-applied toward procedural tasks commonly used in everyday clinical image-guided therapies and minimally invasive procedures that use three-dimensional information and feedback during procedures. Smartphone applications are a relatively young field of research that have potential in interventional radiology (IR) toward improvement of accuracy and standardization for needle-based procedures like biopsy and ablation. This review explores the adaptation of smartphones' built-in sensors for virtual and augmented reality uses in IR. The ergonomic advantages and translational hurdles and limitations are reviewed, outlining the potential future developmental pathway of smartphones in IR.