President of the state of Israel unveils groundbreaking holoscope technology at Toronto's University Health Network

First-in-the-world use of true holographic imaging during a cardiology procedure

TORONTO, April 2, 2019 /CNW/ - Today, President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, unveiled true holographic imaging technology together with cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and staff Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC), University Health Network (UHN).

President of the State of Israel, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin said: "I am delighted to be with you today at the Peter Munk Cardiac Center to see one of the most exciting and innovative joint projects between Israel and Canada. This collaboration between Toronto General Hospital and RealView Imaging has created the most advanced facility of its kind in the world. We are all proud of this achievement and of the cooperation between our two countries in life-saving medical technology."

Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at PMCC are the first to use true holographic imaging in real time during a medical procedure. The technology was produced in Israel and brought to Canada to be used at Toronto's UHN.

"This unique and unprecedented event represents a breakthrough in our ability to see inside the heart without making an incision, and will allow our physicians to treat heart disease with exceptional confidence and accuracy," said Medical Director of the PMCC, Dr. Barry Rubin. "This incredible advance is another world first for PMCC. We will continue to integrate the most advanced digital technologies to help drive outstanding patient care, teaching and research."

Dr. Kevin Smith, President & CEO of University Health Network, said, "It was an honour to have President Rivlin at UHN as part of his first visit to Canada. Our holographic heart program is the first of its kind in the world and an excellent example of Canadian-Israeli collaboration which benefits patients, research and commercialization."

Here's how it works: the hologram appears as a life size, 3-D image of the heart at close range, floating in space above the patient, and allows the operating physician to explore, rotate and slice the hologram of the heart, in real time, during the procedure.

"We realized our vision for the PMCC to become the first hologram-enabled heart program in the world. This technology is an incredible asset for our heart team, which manages the most complex and challenging cases daily," said Dr. Rubin. "This is an extraordinary advance that will improve the care of patients with heart disease locally and internationally."

The first procedure at PMCC during which used the holographic imaging system was a valve-in-valve mitral valve procedure, a minimally invasive procedure that replaced a worn-out surgical valve. Instead of removing the old diseased valve, the procedure replaces the valve without making an incision in the chest.

PMCC is using the hologram for other cardiac procedures, such as repairing leaking valves and closing holes in the heart.

The journey to get the holographic system to PMCC began roughly five years ago, when cardiologists from Toronto General Hospital travelled to Israel to see it in its beta form. The company involved in its creation and production, RealView Imaging, worked with PMCC physicians Dr. Eric Horlick and Dr. Mark Osten, to bring the technology to Toronto.

"We are extremely excited to collaborate with UHN on this first-in-the-world installation of the HOLOSCOPE-i medical holographic system for real-time use during interventional cardiology procedures," said Mr. Aviad Kaufman, RealView Imaging's CEO.  "By incorporating medical holography into the routine workflow, we expect to revolutionize the way clinicians engage with 3D medical imaging, ultimately resulting in better overall patient care."

This innovative technology could not have been made possible without key partnerships with Harry Rosenbaum of Great Gulf Homes Charitable Foundation's and Jeff and Honey Rubenstein.

"We were extremely pleased to partner with the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the University Health Network to help support this incredible and groundbreaking technology that will ultimately help transform care," said Mr. Rosenbaum. "We look forward to seeing its effects on patients, and its integration into an exceptional team of surgeons, physicians and allied health staff."

About the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre

The Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC), established through the generous support of the Peter and Melanie Munk Charitable Foundation, is the premier cardiac centre in Canada. Since its opening, the PMCC has saved and improved the lives of cardiac and vascular patients from around the world. More than 163,000 patients annually receive innovative and compassionate care from multidisciplinary teams in the PMCC, which trains more cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, and vascular surgeons than any other hospital in Canada. The PMCC is based at the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – all members of University Health Network. For more information, visit www.petermunkcardiaccentre.ca

About RealView Imaging

RealView Imaging is an Israeli start-up company that is pioneering the field of interactive live holography, introducing the HOLOSCOPE-i™ - the first ever medical holographic system. The company's proprietary Digital Light Shaping™ technology provides physicians with a unique natural viewing experience, creating the only accurate, three-dimensional holograms within hands reach, initially targeted to support interventional cardiology procedures. For more information, visit: www.realviewimaging.com. 

SOURCE University Health Network