81 - Intraoperative Imaging Protocols

Abstract

Intraoperative navigation is a key technology in the arsenal of the practicing spine surgeon. The past 15 years have seen an explosion in the number of available intraoperative navigation technologies, which now include both conventional two-dimensional fluoroscopy and newer three-dimensional fluoroscopy systems and intraoperative computed tomography. Navigation systems allow surgeons to obtain both pre- and intraoperative images that facilitate real-time monitoring of surgical procedures, such as thoracolumbar pedicle screw placement, lesion biopsy, and osteotomy formation. The field of spine surgery has also seen increased interest in the development and use of spine surgical robots, which rely heavily upon intraoperative imaging and navigation, and which now represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the spine market. In this chapter, we describe: 1) the various types of intraoperative imaging technologies, 2) the use of intraoperative navigation, and 3) the integration of spine surgery robots into practice.