Doctors produce 3D view of the inside of COVID-19 patient's lungs

Doctor hopes to educate public

Doctor hopes to educate public

IT WILL SEND A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC. HEATHER GRAF HAS THIS STORY. >> WE CAN SEE IT FRONT-TO-BACK, SIDE-TO-SIDE. HEATHER: IT’S A FIRST OF ITS KIND VIEW INSIDE THE LUNGS OF A PATIENT WITH COVID-19. >> THIS PATIENT IS A GENTLEMAN IN HIS LATE 50’S, WHO INITIALLY HAD A FEVER AND A NON-PRODUCTIVE COUGH, LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE. HEATHER: A PATIENT AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN THE DISTRICT. >> THE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS PROGRESSED QUITE RAPIDLY, TO THE POINT WHERE HE HAD TO BE INTUBATED AND PUT ON THE VENTILATOR. HEATHER: AND THIS IS A VIRTUAL REALITY 360 RENDERING THAT SHOWS WHAT THE VIRUS DOES TO THE HUMAN BODY. >> WHAT YOU’RE SEEING IN THE VIDEO, ESSENTIALLY THE BLUE PART IS THE MORE NORMAL LUNG, BUT ANYTHING YOU’RE SEEING THAT’S YELLOW IS LUNG THAT’S BEING DESTROYED BY THE VIRUS. HEATHER: DR. KEITH MORTMAN IS THE CHIEF OF THORACIC SURGERY AT GW HOSPITAL, AND IN PARTNETSHIP WITH A COMPANY CALLED SURGICAL THEATER USED A PATIENT’S CAT SCAN TO CREATE THIS INTERACTIVE MODEL. >> IT’S QUITE ALARMING TO SEE, IN ALL HONESTY. BECAUSE UNLIKE YOUR GARDEN VARIETY PNEUMONIA THAT MIGHT AFFECT ONLY ONE SMALL PART OF THE LUNG, OR UNLIKE THE COMMON FLU, WHAT YOU’RE SEEING IN THIS VIDEO IS REALLY THE WIDESPREAD DIFFUSE DAMAGE TO THE LUNG. HEATHER: MORTMAN’S HOPE IS THAT THE TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ON THE FRONT LINES, BUT HE ALSO WANTS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SEE THESE IMAGES FOR THEMSELVES. >> IT’S REALLY TO EDUCATE THEM. HEATHER: BECAUSE HE SAYS THIS PERSPECTIVE SHOULD OPEN EVERYONE’S EYES TO THE DANGERS OF COVID-19 >> I REALLY WANT THEM TO SEE THIS AND UNDERSTAND THE DAMAGE THAT’S BEING DONE TO THE LUNGS , THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE THAT THIS IS CAUSING SO PERHAPS MAYBE THEY THINK TWICE BEFORE HAVING A HOUSE PARTY OR

Updated: 12:32 PM CDT Mar 24, 2020

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Doctors produce 3D view of the inside of COVID-19 patient's lungs

Doctor hopes to educate public

Updated: 12:32 PM CDT Mar 24, 2020

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A doctor has created a virtual rendering of what the inside of a lung of a patient with the coronavirus looks like, he believes it will send a powerful message to the public. It is a first of its kind view inside the lungs of a patient with COVID-19. The patient is a man in his late 50s who initially had a fever and a non-productive cough according to Dr. Keith Mortman. Mortman is chief of thoracic surgery at George Washington University Hospital. “The respiratory symptoms progressed quite rapidly, to the point where he had to be intubated and put on the ventilator,” said Mortman.A 360° rendering showed what the virus does to the human body.“What you’re seeing in the video, essentially the blue part is the more normal lung, but anything you’re seeing that’s yellow is lung that’s being destroyed by the virus,” Mortman said. The rendering was created in partnership with a company called Surgical Theater that used a patients CAT scan to create an interactive model.“It’s quite alarming to see, in all honesty. Because unlike your garden variety pneumonia that might affect only one small part of the lung, or unlike the common flu, what you’re seeing in this video is really the widespread diffuse damage to the lung,” Mortman said.Mortman’s hope is that the technology can help medical professionals on the front lines, but he also wants members of the public to see the images for themselves.“It’s really to educate them,” Mortman said. “I really want them to see this and understand the damage that’s being done to the lungs, the severity of the disease that this is causing. Perhaps, maybe they think twice before having a house-party or going outside with large groups.”

A doctor has created a virtual rendering of what the inside of a lung of a patient with the coronavirus looks like, he believes it will send a powerful message to the public.

It is a first of its kind view inside the lungs of a patient with COVID-19. The patient is a man in his late 50s who initially had a fever and a non-productive cough according to Dr. Keith Mortman. Mortman is chief of thoracic surgery at George Washington University Hospital.

“The respiratory symptoms progressed quite rapidly, to the point where he had to be intubated and put on the ventilator,” said Mortman.

A 360° rendering showed what the virus does to the human body.

“What you’re seeing in the video, essentially the blue part is the more normal lung, but anything you’re seeing that’s yellow is lung that’s being destroyed by the virus,” Mortman said.

The rendering was created in partnership with a company called Surgical Theater that used a patients CAT scan to create an interactive model.

“It’s quite alarming to see, in all honesty. Because unlike your garden variety pneumonia that might affect only one small part of the lung, or unlike the common flu, what you’re seeing in this video is really the widespread diffuse damage to the lung,” Mortman said.

Mortman’s hope is that the technology can help medical professionals on the front lines, but he also wants members of the public to see the images for themselves.

“It’s really to educate them,” Mortman said. “I really want them to see this and understand the damage that’s being done to the lungs, the severity of the disease that this is causing. Perhaps, maybe they think twice before having a house-party or going outside with large groups.”

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