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影像新技术：外科医生前所未有的法宝

When could a video game possibly save your life? A new imaging technology, now being used at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, has direct links to video games. It can provide detailed¹ views of patients’ bodies -- helping² surgeons plan and execute complicated operations with much more confidence.

什么情况下视频游戏可能会救命呢？德克萨斯州休斯顿卫理公会医院目前正在应用的一项新的影像技术，就与视频游戏有直接关系。这项技术能够展示病患者体内的影像细节，大大提搞了外科医生们设计和实施复杂手术的信心。

Those who think that developing video games software has no other purpose than entertainment should think again.

那些觉得开发视频游戏软件除了满足娱乐需要而没有其他目的的人，应该重新考虑一下了。

So says Dr. Brian Butler, a radiation oncologist at Houston Methodist hospital and the principal author of a new imaging technology called Plato’s CAVE. “Computer engineers and video gamers -- really propelled this type of technology into a possibility,” he said.

布莱恩?巴特勒医生是这么认为的。他是休斯顿卫理公会医院的放射肿瘤科医生，同时也是一项名为“柏拉图洞穴”的新型影像技术的主要开发者。他说：“电脑工程师和视频游戏玩家们让这类技术成为可能。”

Multi-dimensional images

CAVE is a powerful processing technology, based on both Microsoft and Apple software, which quickly imports data collected by other imaging machines -- such as CT, MRI and PET scanners -- and converts it into detailed images.

“柏拉图洞穴”是一项强大的处理技术，兼容微软和苹果操作软件，它能够快速地输入电脑断层扫描仪、核磁共振扫描仪及正子断层扫描仪等成像设备收集的数据，并把数据转换为详细的图像。”

Similar to the graphics³ in a video game, the multidimensional color images are displayed on a touch-sensitive screen, enabling doctors to manipulate them and virtually “fly” through body parts from all directions, rotate them and zoom⁴ in and out.

与视频游戏中的图像类似，多维彩色影像会展示在触摸屏上，供医生们操控，简直就是从各个角度“穿越”患者身体部位，把它们旋转、放大和缩小。

One of the surgeons who uses Plato’s CAVE, Mas Takashima, said being able to clearly visualize⁵ the operation area is the key to successful surgery.

另一位使用过该技术的外科医生马斯?高岛说，能够看到手术部位清晰的视觉成像是手术成功的关键所在。

“When you have the data so you can then visualize exactly what's going on, it definitely decreases the stress level or the anxiety level of just wondering, 'oh, is there a possibility that that blood vessel⁶ might be, you know, wrapped around this tumor⁷? “ said Takashima.

他说：“当你有了这些数据你就可以看到情况到底怎样，这与只是在想‘哎呀，血管会不会缠在肿瘤上＇的猜测相比，当然减轻了压力或者焦虑。”

Precision

Recently, surgeons used the CAVE system to plan a difficult operation on a patient who had accidentally shot himself with a crossbow. They were able to clearly see where the arrow entered the skull⁸ and how close it was to critical blood vessels⁹.

最近，外科专家们利用“柏拉图洞穴”系统为一位不小心用弓箭射伤自己的病人设计了一项复杂的手术。他们可以清楚地看到箭头是从哪里射入头骨，以及离关键的血管有多远。

But not too long ago, even prominent physicians were skeptical¹⁰ about scanner-imaging technology. Dr. Robert Grossman, who teaches neurological surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital, remembers an experience from 1963.

然而不久前，即使那些有名的医生也不相信扫描仪成像技术。休斯敦卫理公会医院的神经外科医生罗伯特?格罗斯曼回忆起1963年的一件往事。

“When the first CT scan was announced, the chief of neuro-radiology at our hospital - he was a very distinguished¹¹ individual, I won't mention his name - he said to us, 'boys, this is a hoax,'" said Grossman.

他说：“ 当电脑断层扫描技术首次被宣布的时候，我们医院的神经放射科的主任、一个非常出色的医生，我就不说名字了，他说，唉，这是个骗局。”

Now, experts say, this is only the beginning. And they say medical imaging technology will get even better as time goes on.

如今，专家们说这只是一个开始。他们说医学影像技术会随着时间的推移变得越来越高超。