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This paper describes an innovative system called Op3D that delivers high performance visualization to a hospital operating theatre. This is the first time that a hepato-pancreatic surgeon has been able to benefit from 3D (three-dimensional) visualization tools at the sharp end of his clinical practice. Early results are supporting our hypothesis that interactive access to 3D visualization and reconstruction from the operating theatre improves the prospect of successful resection of hepato-pancreatic tumors (and could easily be exploited in other surgical areas too). The implementation of the system is discussed in detail, including all of the software and hardware components involved. The paper ends with a discussion of the future potential of the system to take advantage of high performance computing, visual area networking, and the grid.

The NOVICE project (Network-Oriented Visualization in a Clinical Environment) is developing a system for medical image data analysis and visualization through the Web with the intention of demonstrating the effectiveness of such a system in a clinical environment. One element being addressed by NOVICE is the provision of teleradiology tools. The paper describes how three-dimensional models can be included in a teleradiology application by utilising the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) and multi-user extensions, including annotation tools. The result is the world's first Web based system for 3D teleradiology. We present a detailed overview of the implementation and operation of this system, and indicate results from early use.