Integrating Augmented Reality Tools in Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Prognostication and Diagnosis
Marco Invernizzi, Letterio Runza, Alessandro de Sire, Lorenzo Lippi, Concetta Blundo, Donatella Gambini, Renzo Boldorini, Stefano Ferrero, Nicola Fusco
Abstract
Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is a detrimental condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the upper limb in breast cancer patients subjected to axillary surgery and/or radiations. Its etiology is multifactorial and include also tumor-specific pathological features, such as lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and extranodal extension (ENE). To date, no widely employed guidelines for the early diagnosis of BCRL are available. Here, we illustrate a protocol for a digitally assisted BCRL assessment using a 3D laser scanner (3DLS) and a tablet computer. It has been specifically optimized in a discovery cohort of high-risk breast cancer patients. This study provides a proof-of-principle that augmented reality tools, such as 3DLS, can be incorporated into the clinical workup of BCRL to allow for a precise, reproducible, reliable, and cheap diagnosis.