Call for Papers

Background:

Medical imaging has traditionally relied on two-dimensional representations. XR introduces new dimensions to diagnostic imaging by enabling real-time, interactive visualization of three-dimensional (3D) anatomical structures. These innovations have been used in preoperative simulations, radiological training, and patient education. In medical education, students can now "walk through" anatomical models or overlay CT/MRI data in AR to gain deeper understanding. Understanding XR at the undergraduate level prepares future medical professionals for digital healthcare transformation. Extended Reality is rapidly transforming medical imaging, offering innovative applications in clinical practice and education through virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality (Hsieh & Lee, 2018). Augmented reality enhances real-world environments by overlaying computer-generated content onto a user's view, while virtual reality creates immersive, fully digital environments that simulate real-life scenarios (Sheng et al., 2019). Together, these technologies, along with mixed reality, collectively known as extended reality, are revolutionizing medical training, diagnostics, and patient care (Khanal et al., 2022). Extended reality offers immersive learning environments that enhance anatomy education and improve patient positioning techniques (Obuchowicz et al., 2024). Extended reality provides medical students and healthcare professionals with interactive and realistic simulations, thus improving the learning experience (Sarode et al., 2019). The application of virtual reality spans immersive and non-immersive categories, each offering distinct advantages in dentistry and other medical fields (Leonardi, 2022). Immersive VR applications employ head-mounted displays to fully immerse users in a simulated environment, enhancing the realism of training scenarios and diagnostic procedures (Kassutto et al., 2021). Non-immersive VR, on the other hand, utilizes screen-based simulations to present clinical scenarios, enabling interaction with virtual patients for history taking, physical examinations, evaluation, and management (Chakravarthy et al., 2011).

Goal/Rationale:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the concepts of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) within the context of medical imaging.
• Identify current clinical applications of XR technologies in radiology and surgery.
• Understand the role of XR in enhancing medical education and diagnostic training.
• Evaluate the potential benefits and limitations of XR tools in healthcare environments.

Scope and Information for Participants:

Target Audience:

Undergraduate students in Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Radiology, Health Informatics, or Engineering. Also suitable for early-stage researchers and educators interested in edtech in medical training.

Equipment / Requirements:

Projector or LED display
Audio system
Laptop with XR content (demo)
[Optional] AR/VR headsets (e.g., Oculus, HoloLens)
Internet access (for showing online simulations or tools)

Submission:

Prospective authors are kindly invited to submit full papers that include title, abstract, introduction, tables, figures, conclusion and references. It is unnecessary to submit an abstract in advance. Please submit your papers in English.

Each paper should be no less than 4 pages. One regular registration can cover a paper of 6 pages, and additional pages will be charged. Please format your paper well according to the conference template before submission. Paper Template Download

Please prepare your paper in both .doc/.docx and .pdf format and submit your full paper by email with both formats attached directly to sympo_petalingjaya@icbiomed.org

Important Dates:

Publication:

Accepted papers of the symposium will be published in Theoretical and Natural Science (TNS) (Print ISSN 2753-8818), and will be submitted to Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), Crossref, CNKI, Portico, Engineering Village (Inspec), Google Scholar and other databases for indexing. The situation may be affected by factors among databases like processing time, workflow, policy, etc.

Publication info

Title: Theoretical and Natural Science (TNS)
Press: EWA Publishing, United Kingdom
ISSN: 2753-8818, 2753-8826 (electronic)

This symposium is organized by ICBioMed 2025 and it will independently proceed the submission and publication process.

* The papers will be exported to production and publication on a regular basis. Early-registered papers are expected to be published online earlier.

Highlights:

The symposium on "Extended Reality (XR) in Medical Imaging" at ICBioMed 2025 provided an insightful exploration into how Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are revolutionizing the medical field. The session, attended by approximately 17 participants, highlighted XR's profound applications in visualizing patient anatomy, planning complex surgeries, and educating future healthcare leaders.

The symposium began with an introduction to XR as an umbrella term encompassing technologies that merge physical and virtual worlds. VR, by creating entirely new digital environments, offers full immersion, while AR overlays digital information onto the real world, enhancing perception without replacing it. The distinction between these two technologies was emphasized, underscoring their unique roles in healthcare.

A key focus was the revolutionary impact of XR on medical imaging. Historically, clinicians have relied on 2D scans (CT, MRI) requiring complex mental 3D reconstruction, leading to limitations in depth perception, increased potential for human error, and difficulty in explaining findings to patients. XR shatters these limitations by enabling interactive 3D visualization of patient anatomy, transforming flat slices into manipulable 3D models. This allows for more precise diagnostics, improved image-guided interventions, and enhanced understanding of complex structures, significantly improving clinical decision-making.

The symposium also profound impact of XR on surgical planning. Surgeons can now conduct preoperative visualizations using a 3D digital twin of a patient's anatomy, enabling virtual walkthroughs of surgical paths, anticipating challenges, and precisely localizing critical structures to be avoided. Furthermore, surgical simulations with haptic feedback gloves allow surgeons to practice procedures, refine incision points, and determine optimal tool paths, thereby reducing intraoperative surprises and leading to safer surgeries, better patient outcomes, and more efficient use of operating room time.

In conclusion, the symposium underscored that XR is more than just new technology; it is fundamentally reshaping medical imaging, bridging the gap between technology and clinical practice. It enhances accuracy, interactivity, and the understanding of human anatomy. XR is empowering the next generation of medical professionals by transforming how students learn, how radiologists diagnose, and how surgeons operate, ultimately creating a more personalized and patient-centered approach to healthcare. Attendees were urged to embrace these transformative tools as the future of medicine becomes increasingly immersive.

Access to Symposium: ICBioMed 2025 Symposium -- Petaling Jaya - YouTube