Lung Damage by Coronavirus shown in VR at
George Washington University Hospital
The novel coronavirus or the COVID-19 has infected around 480,446 people and has caused 21,571 deaths globally as of March 25, 2020. It is an infection that has flu-like symptoms and affects the lungs of the infected person.
At the George Washington University Hospital, D.C. in the United States, to uncover the damage caused to the lungs by coronavirus COVID-19, the doctors are using virtual reality to their aid.
A patient with the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 was encountered by the doctors at George Washington University Hospital earlier this month. To see into the patient’s lungs, they are now using VR technology. The impacts of coronavirus on the lungs can be seen in a model created by the researchers.
Here is a video of a 360° Virtual Reality fly-through showing the extent of damage to the lungs (yellow) from COVID-19. Made with Surgical Theater technology:
The Chief of Thoracic Surgery at the hospital, Dr. Keith Mortman said, “In the video, the blue part is the more normal lung and the places with yellow color is what that’s being destroyed by the virus.”
It can be seen in the simulation that the virus-infected lung tissue in yellow and the healthy lung tissue in blue.
Mortman said, “Between the more healthy lung tissue and the virus-infected abnormal lung, there is such a start contrast. You do not need an MD after your name to understand these images as it shows such a contrast. Looking at the image, the damage seen is not isolated to any one part of the lung. To both lungs, this is severe damage diffusely.”
“To those who survive COVID-19, the possibility of the long-term damage of their lungs is what I am particularly concerned about,” said Mortman.
Lung Damage by Coronavirus shown in VR – Source
Explained with clarity pulmonary changes and damage.