This study was designed to compare VR stereoscopical three-dimensional (3D) imaging with two-dimensional computed tomography angiography (CTA) images for evaluating the abdominal vascular anatomy before autologous breast reconstruction.

This prospective case series feasibility study was conducted in two tertiary medical centers.

Participants were women slated to undergo free transverse rectus abdominis muscle, unilateral or bilateral deep inferior epigastric perforator flap immediate breast reconstruction.

Based on a routine CTA, a 3D VR model was generated. Before each procedure, the surgeons examined the CTA and then the VR model.

Any new information provided by the VR imaging was submitted to a radiologist for confirmation before surgery.

Following each procedure, the surgeons completed a questionnaire comparing the two methods.