The Interest of 3D Modeling in Pediatric Surgery
Pediatric genetic, developmental, and oncological diseases have not benefited from advancements in advanced simulation, computer assistance, and automation, especially for surgical interventions. This is unfortunate, particularly because the pediatric population requires special attention due to the specific nature of the pathologies involved (malformations and tumors) and the importance of precision surgery for growing individuals, where sequelae could have a very long-term impact. Consequently, there are few studies that have evaluated the relevance of these tools in pediatric surgery, and they mostly concern kidney tumor surgery or congenital heart malformation modeling. A recent study showed, in a population of 10 children with kidney tumors, that the identification of tumor boundaries, renal arteries and veins, and excretory pathways was significantly more facilitated with 3D imaging than with conventional imaging (3D CT and MRI versus 2D slices). However, to date, no work in children has been able to offer visualization of nerve plexuses, which seems particularly interesting for the surgery of neuroectodermal tumors (tumors of embryonic origin).
About the Project
IMAG2 is a research laboratory created in 2017 by Sabine Sarnacki, a pediatric surgeon, and Isabelle Bloch, a professor in Applied Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, both researchers with over 30 years of experience in their respective fields, to work on the analysis of medical images applied to the treatment of pediatric tumors in the pelvic region. Their team develops 3D modeling algorithms capable of quickly and automatically identifying the peripheral nervous system and organs in the abdominopelvic region from MRI images.
The goal of this technology is to help surgeons plan their interventions to anticipate potential nerve injuries that could lead to permanent and disabling functional sequelae for life. The laboratory has been supported since its inception by several institutions (Institut Imagine, AP-HP, Télécom Paris, and Sorbonne University). It is based at the Necker – Enfants Malades Hospital, a conducive ecosystem for translational research, where surgeons, biomedical engineers specializing in 3D modeling, and radiologists can collaboratively apply their skills to the proposed project.
This project involves conducting a clinical study to evaluate the precision of the algorithms compared to manually created 3D models and the usefulness of these 3D models as both a communication tool for patients and a planning tool for surgeons.
Project Follow-up:
Start Date: 2024
Project Summary
- Sponsor: Institut Imagine – Necker Enfants Malades Hospital
- Principal Investigator: Dr. Sabine Sarnacki
- Number of Patients: 60
- Program Duration: May 2024 – May 2026
- Countries Involved: France
- Funding by Imagine for Margo: €24,840
This trial has been co-financed by the Rallye du Cœur de Paris 2024.
