From digital visual human technology to digital minimally invasive surgery: translational application of three dimensional visualization technology in the diagnosis and treatment of hilar cholangiocar

Digital medicine underwent the conversion from “digital human” to digital medical technology and has been widely used in all aspects of clinical medicine in recent 10 years, especially in hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA). It is difficult to accurately evaluate the longitudinal and vertical tumor invasion by preoperative conventional imaging assessment (CT, MRI, etc.) due to the complexity of this operation. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization can see more comprehensively, more clearly and more accurately on the basis of organs and lesions indicated by CT and MRI. Three-dimensional visualization digital medical technology can accurately, intuitively and stereoscopically display the situation of tumor invasion of the adjacent important vessels as well as the variation of vessels. It plays an important role in the aspects of preoperative evaluation, surgical planning, improving the success rate of operation and reducing complications for HCCA. It also transforms the past model of “crossing the river by feeling the stone” to now “crossing the river by watching the stone”. Therefore, it is known as the paradigm of translational medicine.