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AcuVR: Enhancing Acupuncture Training Workflow with Virtual Reality

Menghe Zhang, Chen Chen, Matin Yarmand, Anish Rajeshkumar, Nadir Weibel

TL;DR

AcuVR tackles the gap in acupuncture training by integrating patient-specific medical imaging with VR-enabled anatomy to provide immersive, risk-reduced practice. The system combines MRI/CT volumes with layered anatomy, cross-dimensional visualization, and interactive needling simulations to enable self-assessment and customization. In a pilot with eight practitioners and students, participants reported high usability and perceived improvements in understanding and needling accuracy, indicating strong potential to augment traditional curricula. The work suggests broader applicability to medical education by enabling realistic visualization of internal structures and variation across patients, with future work focused on comparative studies and enhanced tactile feedback.

Abstract

Acupuncture is a widely adopted medical practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to alleviate pain and treat various health conditions. Current learning practices heavily rely on 2D atlases and practice on peers, which are notably less intuitive and pose risks, particularly in sensitive areas such as the eyes. To address these challenges, we introduce AcuVR, a Virtual Reality (VR) based system designed to add a layer of interactivity and realism. This innovation aims to reduce the risks associated with practicing acupuncture techniques while offering more effective learning strategies. Furthermore, AcuVR incorporates medical imaging and standardized anatomy models, enabling the simulation of customized acupuncture scenarios. This feature represents a significant advancement beyond the limitations of conventional resources such as atlases and textbooks, facilitating a more immersive and personalized learning experience. The evaluation study with eight acupuncture students and practitioners revealed high participant satisfaction and pointed to the effectiveness and potential of AcuVR as a valuable addition to acupuncture training.

AcuVR: Enhancing Acupuncture Training Workflow with Virtual Reality

TL;DR

AcuVR tackles the gap in acupuncture training by integrating patient-specific medical imaging with VR-enabled anatomy to provide immersive, risk-reduced practice. The system combines MRI/CT volumes with layered anatomy, cross-dimensional visualization, and interactive needling simulations to enable self-assessment and customization. In a pilot with eight practitioners and students, participants reported high usability and perceived improvements in understanding and needling accuracy, indicating strong potential to augment traditional curricula. The work suggests broader applicability to medical education by enabling realistic visualization of internal structures and variation across patients, with future work focused on comparative studies and enhanced tactile feedback.

Abstract

Acupuncture is a widely adopted medical practice that involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to alleviate pain and treat various health conditions. Current learning practices heavily rely on 2D atlases and practice on peers, which are notably less intuitive and pose risks, particularly in sensitive areas such as the eyes. To address these challenges, we introduce AcuVR, a Virtual Reality (VR) based system designed to add a layer of interactivity and realism. This innovation aims to reduce the risks associated with practicing acupuncture techniques while offering more effective learning strategies. Furthermore, AcuVR incorporates medical imaging and standardized anatomy models, enabling the simulation of customized acupuncture scenarios. This feature represents a significant advancement beyond the limitations of conventional resources such as atlases and textbooks, facilitating a more immersive and personalized learning experience. The evaluation study with eight acupuncture students and practitioners revealed high participant satisfaction and pointed to the effectiveness and potential of AcuVR as a valuable addition to acupuncture training.
Paper Structure (35 sections, 7 equations, 16 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 35 sections, 7 equations, 16 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. Acupuncture Training
  4. Virtual Reality in Medical Education
  5. Development and Integration of Medical Imaging in VR
  6. Iterative Design
  7. Design Considerations
  8. System Design
  9. Users
  10. Medical Imaging Registration on Anatomy Models
  11. Cross-dimensional Visualizations for Supporting Explorations
  12. Interactive Needling Simulations
  13. Study Methods
  14. Participants
  15. Study Material
  16. ...and 20 more sections

Figures (16)

  • Figure 1: Example of a 3D surface anatomy model: (a) a female head model with all anatomical structure layers, and (b) the same head model with selected structure layers.
  • Figure 2: A head MRI data volume visualization using: (a) direct volume rendering method to provide detailed spatial representations of soft tissue structures, (b) maximum intensity projection method to enhance high-intensity and high-contrast features, and (c) iso-surface volume rendering method to delineate boundaries between different tissue types.
  • Figure 3: Medical imaging visualization setting panel.
  • Figure 4: 1-Dimensional transfer function.
  • Figure 5: Medical imaging - surface anatomy registration: (a) an example set of user-selected six anatomical landmarks, (b) overlapping registration representation, and (c) side-by-side placement.
  • ...and 11 more figures