Abstract

Most breast cancer patients will undergo surgery as part of their treatment plan. To improve their chances of survival, they typically need to decide on their treatment plan within eight weeks of diagnosis. Patients often review post-operative images of others to gauge potential outcomes, but these images provide only limited insight into their own possible results resulting in many revision surgeries and patients who are dissatisfied with their surgical outcomes.

In this dissertation, we explore the use of augmented reality (AR) as a decision-support tool to help patients visualize different surgical procedures on their own bodies. To that end, we developed Breamy, an AR app that uses both marker-based and markerless AR visualizations. Breamy uses photogrammetry to create a patient-specific 3D model. This model, along with various treatment options, is projected directly onto the patient’s body to help visualize different surgical options.

We surveyed 165 women on their views about the concept of Breamy and found positive results in terms of the need for such an application. We also ran a preliminary study with six participants to evaluate the usability of Breamy and its potential as a decision-aid tool. The findings of these studies suggest that AR can be an effective decision-support tool, helping to better align patient expectations with likely outcomes. For example, in our preliminary study, 90\% of participants believed that an AR application with personalized surgical information could improve patient comprehension and decision-making. Similarly, in our second study, five out of six participants reported that AR visualization enhanced their understanding of surgery's potential effects on their bodies and boosted their confidence in the decision-making process. The results of our studies underscore the potential of Breamy to transform the surgical decision-making process, ultimately leading to greater patient satisfaction and improved surgical outcomes.