Expert consensus of precise diagnosis and treatment for pancreatic head cancer using three-dimensional visualization technology

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology in pancreatic head cancers could offer decision-making support to preoperative diagnosis, resectability assessment and individualized surgical planning. In addition, the pancreas 3D printing helps to realize the leapfrog development from 3D images to 3D physical models and provides better guidance of the precise surgery of complicated cancers of the pancreatic head. In order to standardize the application of 3D visualization and 3D printing technology in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic head cancer, Chinese experts in relevant fields were organized by four committees to formulate this expert consensus. This consensus give the suggestion from ten aspects on the treatment of pancreatic head cancer, such as the preoperative evaluation, acquisition method of CT data, the construction of three-dimensional visualization model, clinical classification of resectability assessment based on the 3D visualization technology, simulation surgery, 3D printing, the guidance with 3D visualization technology on pancreatic cancer surgery, intraoperative examination of resectability assessment, and the other treatment based on 3D visualization technology with pancreatic head cancer. The consensus will give the reference to the doctors who is developing or is going to develop the 3D visualization technology on pancreatic head cancer.