Updated January 5th, 2024
Technical advancements in virtual reality (VR) have enabled immersive experinces for gaming and 3D-design but are now also opening up unimagined possibilities for medical professionals, including radiologists. Recently, the first all-in-one VR software platform and virtual reading room “SieVRt” has been approved as a medical device.
For radiologists, VR headsets can provide an immersive way to view and report medical images. They bear the potential to allow for better visualization and may revolutionize the known radiological reporting routine. However, there are several factors and key fatures such as resolution, field of view and wearing comfort that need to be considered before buying a VR headset for radiological reading. In this article we will therefore discuss the best VR headset for radiologists.
If you´re looking for gear for radiologists, also read articles on dictation microphones, radiology laptops and radiologist’s mouse.
What is the Best VR Headset for Radiologists in 2023
What are the Key Features of the Best VR Headset for Radiologists
As a practicing radiologist, there are several important features to consider before implementing a VR headset in your clinical practice or research. Currently, there are several devices available. Starting from mobile phone “VR” headsets that are compatible with some smartphones to traditional VR headsets to augmented reality headsets, these products differ significantly regarding their specs and areas of application. Naturally, this also applies to VR headsets. This section covers the most important specifications and factors for VR headsets for radiologists:
1. Display Resolution
A radiologist needs to see medical images in high detail to identify relevant pathologies or differences between images. Therefore, a VR headset with high resolution is crucial. Altough it is difficult to define a general minimum threshold, for most devices can be said that higher resolution is better. As a rule of thumb, a VR headset should have a minimum resolution of at least 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye.
2. Field of view
The field of view (FOV) is an important factor for a realistic and immersiv virtual reality experience. A sufficiently large field of view can be beneficial to view and compare multiple imaging studies. For example during comparison of previous studies side by side.
A VR headset for radiologists should have a FOV of at least 100 degrees. However, be aware that an increase of the FOV can also be associated with a decrease in angular resolution as the pixels availabe need to be distributed to a larger area.
3. Comfort
Wearing comfort is an influencing factor that should not be underestimated. The comfort of a VR headset is clearly as important as the comfort of the mouse, the microphone or the chair the diagnostic radiologist is using.
Maybe you´re working from home as a teleradiolgist and you can set the headset aside between readings. Or you are working in a clinical setting and are searching for a device that can be worn for longer periods of time. Nevertheless, the headset should be comfortable and easy to be put on and off. Furthermore, it is important to consider how the VR headset can be fit over eyeglasses if necessary. Padded headbands and face cushions can also add to comfort.
4. Tracking
For a seamless VR experience and smooth transitions, accurate tracking is important. Many mobile headsets use rotational tracking with three degrees of freedom (3 DoF). With these you can look up and down, right and left and tilt your head. But leaning forward and backward will not be tracked.
For an immersive virtual reality experience and adequate use in your virtual reading room or to interact with three-dimensional object, positional tracking with six degrees of freedom (6 DoF) is required. This allows you to freely move in all directions and even walk around your virtual reading room.
5. Connectivity
Both wired and wireless options are available on the market and their use depends on your personal preferences and working circumstances. If your are sitting still in one place, a wired option (sometimes cheaper) may be sufficient.
However, if you want to move around and also want to work standing and at different locations, you might want to consider wireless options. Also, you need to make sure that the headset is compatible with the device you will be using it with. Especially if you are planning to work as a remote radiologist using teleradiology at different locations, compatibility is key to enable seamless reading.
6. Battery life
This point is fairly self-explanatory. You should research the battery life of the headset you are considering. Again, this depends on your working preferences. The ability to plug the headset in while working and the charging speed are also important. You do not want a dead device when you still have hours of work ahead of you.
7. Price
As you research different VR headsets, you will find that the price range is quite wide. There are options that you can put on your smartphone that are available for less than a hundred dollars. However, if you want to have a high-end product with all the requirements mentioned above, it can easily cost a thousand dollars or up to several thousands in the high-end category.
If you plan to use the device in clinical routine, you should research the requirements for the respective software solutions (e.g. virtual reading rooms). As they may be higher, the price of the VR headset may also increase.
The Best VR Headset for Radiologists – Details and Top 5
HTC VIVE Pro 2 – Specifications, Pros and Cons:
- 5K Resolution with a combined 4896 x 2448 pixels (2448 x 2448 pixels per eye)
- 120 Degree field of view
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- 57-70 mm Interpupillary distance (IPD)
- SteamVR Tracking base stations & controllers
- Hi-Res certified audio with 3D spatial sound
- The full kit includes controllers and base stations
- Relatively high price
- Eye relief with lens distance adjustment
- 850 grams
Meta Quest Pro – Specifications, Pros and Cons:
- High resolution with 1800 x 1920 pixels per eye
- 106 Degree field of view (22 pixels per degree angular resolution)
- 55-75 mm Interpupillary distance (IPD)
- 6 Degrees of Freedom
- 2 hour battery life
- Usable with the included 2-metre charging cable
- Fully charged in about 2 hours
- Intregrated speakers and microphone
- Wi-Fi 6E enabled
- 772 grams
Valve Index Full VR – Specifications, Pros and Cons:
- 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye (RGB LCDs)
- 120 Hz (with experimental 144 Hz mode)
- 58-70 mm Interpupillary distance (IPD)
- Low persistence with reduced illumination period of 0.33 – 0.53 ms
- Dual microphone array
- Multiple ergonomic adjustments
- 130 Degree specified (120 Degree practical) field of ciew
- 6 Degrees of freedom
- 809 grams
- Relatively high price
HP Reverb G2 – Specifications, Pros and Cons:
- High resolution with 2160 x 2160 pixels per eye (4320 x 2160 combined)
- 114 Degrees field of view
- 90 Hz refresh rate
- 60-86 mm IPD
- Lightweight: 550 grams (1.2 lbs)
- Comfortable 6 m DisplayPort cable
- Lower price
Meta Quest 2 – Specifications, Pros and Cons:
- Resolution: 1832 x 1920 pixels per eye
- Up to 90 Hz refres rate
- 58-68 mm Interpupillary distance (IPD)
- 6 Degrees of Freedom
- Cinematic 3D positional audio
- 503 grams
- Lower price
What is the Perfect VR Headset for Radiologists?
Now what is the best VR headset for radiologists? Naturally, there are several options available that you need to compare to find the perfect VR headset for you. It is important to notice, that the VR market is a heavily evolving one with various advances and technical developtments.
Additionally, there also mixed reality (MR) options in addition to VR options. These are sometimes more expensive (such as the Varjo XR-3 or the HoloLens 2). As radiologists might need a dimmed room, these options could be problematic when using them in brighter areas. A closed VR headset can work around this problem.
Your individual choice of a VR headset may depend on your sepcific needs regarding resolution, field of view, compatibility and comfort. I hope, this article can provide you with information to make an informed decision on which VR headset suits you best or whether you want to buy a VR headset at all.
Happy reporting!
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