The Translational Research Image-Guided Operating Room (TRIGORA): Intraoperative 3D Imaging for Head & Neck Surgical Patients (TRIGORA)

Head and neck cancer surgery presents the challenge of tumour resection in close proximity to critical structures such as the carotid arteries and optic nerves. The need for precise localization within complex 3D anatomy has motivated the development of image-guidance systems that account for tissue deformation and excision through the use of intraoperative cone-beam CT (CBCT). A prototype mobile C-arm for intraoperative flat-panel CBCT has been developed at UHN in collaboration with Siemens Healthcare to provide low-dose 3D images with sub-mm spatial resolution and soft-tissue visibility. Extensive investigation in pre-clinical/clinical H&N, otology, orthopaedic, lung, and spine surgery has demonstrated the benefit of intraoperative CBCT for improved target ablation, localization accuracy, and critical structure avoidance.

Prospective clinical trial in CBCT-guided H&N surgery will be conducted to evaluate the Zeego robotic platform for CBCT. Patient accrual will span a wide range of surgical procedures in otolaryngology, including cancer resection and anatomical reconstruction in the mandible, maxilla, sinuses, skull base, and temporal bone. The effect of intraoperative imaging and surgical guidance on logistical considerations of time, workflow, and compatibility with the OR environment will be evaluated through the use of in-room audio/video recordings, human factors engineering methods, and expert feedback questionnaires obtained from the surgeons, nurses, and anesthetists involved in each case. This clinical investigation will help to further define indications for CBCT-guided H&N surgery, and serve to enable the development of surgical task-specific imaging protocols.