Abstract-Interventional radiology is a minimally invasive procedure where thin instruments, guidewires and catheters or stents are steered through the patient's vascular system under X-ray imaging for treatment of vascular diseases. The complexity of these procedures makes training in order to master hand-eye coordination, instrument manipulation and procedure protocols for each radiologist mandatory. In this paper, we present a computer-based real-time simulation of interventional radiology procedures, which deploys a very efficient physics-based thread model to simulate the elastic behavior of guidewires and catheters. A fast collision detection scheme provides continuous collision response, which reveals more details of arterial walls than a centerline approach. Furthermore rendering techniques for realistic X-ray effect have been implemented. Our simulation structure is updated at a haptic rate of 500 Hz, thus contributing to physical realism.

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In the future, CES and RCM should become part of a larger computer-integrated environment. The need to embed these tools with CAD and CAE tools exists. The future is very promising when one looks at the capabilities of today's existing CAD products. CAD software already integrates many engineering tools that were once separate products.CES, as a commercially available product, has a proven record of helping product and process design. RCM remains as research. RCM successfully demonstrates that new process design models can be developed utilizing mathematically intensive concepts and implemented using modern computational tools. The comprehensive process modeling that RCM achieves is very difficult, if not impossible to duplicate using cost accounting, engineering economics, cost estimating, break-even analysis, or other methodologies. Both tools help management make better long-term strategic business decisions more confidently.

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