A generic computer assisted intervention plug-in module for 3 D Slicer with multiple device support Release 1 . 00

Various frameworks and toolkits have been proposed for rapid development of computer assisted interven tion (CAI) software. In this paper, we investigate how the open-source 3D S licer application framework can be used for this pu rpose. We defined general requirements for CAI software to be able to evaluat e and enhance 3D Slicer for interventional applicat ions in general, and not just for a specific system. 3D Slicer is found to b e an appropriate basis for CAI software, as its bui lt-in functions fulfill many requirements and missing functionalities can be con veniently added. We describe the implementation of a CAI software based on extending core 3D Slicer functions. Three enhanceme nts are described in detail: the management of work flow, DICOM image transfer, and multiple views. The resulting softwar e fulfills general CAI requirements and supports tw o different MRI-guided prostate biopsy systems (each with a different imag ng mode, robotic manipulator and calibration metho d), thereby demonstrating the usability of our software for imp lementing CAI applications in general.

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