daVinci represents a new concept in providing physicians with a real-time interactive simulation of vascular catheterization procedures. It provides the interventional radiologist with a `hands-on', user friendly, image-based environment to augment training, enhance pretreatment planning, and design interventional products and services. daVinci is based on computational modeling of the physical properties at catheters and on human anatomical images. It provides the user with real-time simulated navigation of catheters in both 2-D and 3-D modeled vessels. In addition, multiplanar CT, MRI and anatomical data sets are incorporated into the simulator to enhance the understanding of anatomical relationships associated with vascular catheterization procedures. Although the current daVinci prototype is designed for peripheral vascular applications, additional systems are currently being developed for both interventional neuroradiology and cardiology.

The user can learn and rehearse difficult navigational tasks for intravascular procedures in radiology and cardiology. Uniquely, this is a full physical catheter/guidewire model which moves and bends freely within the vessels - not simply tracking a central curve. Features under development are: to interactively design and evaluate catheter/guidewire shape, bending and torsionalstiffnesses, biomechanics of vessels and drag from blood flow; database of normal anatomical variants and various pathologies; and to edit reference cases to match patient data for pretreatment planning.