Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41476882›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in medicine2025

Digital neurosurgery in the era of intelligent medicine: a scoping review.

Zhengbo Yuan, Zhongjie Shi, Zhanxiang Wang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Zhengbo Yuan *Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Zhongjie Shi *Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Zhanxiang WangNational Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Digital neurosurgery represents a transformative shift in modern neurosurgical practice, integrating advanced technologies, such as three-dimensional (3D) imaging, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twin technology (DTT) models. These technologies offer innovative solutions for preoperative planning, intraoperative navigation, and postoperative management, with an emphasis on precision, personalization, and efficiency. Methods: We conducted a scoping review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) checklist and guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched without language or date limits through September 2025. Eligibility was structured using the Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework. Two reviewers independently screened records in Rayyan with consensus resolution, and data were charted using a prepiloted form. A total of 133 sources were included and mapped. Results: Key technologies reviewed include: (1) 3D reconstruction: Facilitates precise anatomical modeling, improving spatial understanding and surgical planning. (2) 3D printing (3DP): Enables creation of patient-specific models and surgical guides, enhancing preoperative simulation and intraoperative accuracy. (3) Digital twins (DT): Offers dynamic virtual models for real-time surgical simulation, training, and personalized patient management. (4) Intraoperative navigation: Utilizes advanced electromagnetic and AI-enhanced systems to improve tracking accuracy and reduce surgical errors. (5) Robotic-assisted surgery: Includes telesurgical, supervisory, and handheld systems that enhance precision and enable minimally invasive procedures. (6) AI: Supports image registration, subtask automation, and clinical decision-making, improving diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. These technologies demonstrate significant benefits in operative precision, patient outcomes, training efficacy, and interdisciplinary communication, though challenges remain in data integration, regulatory standards, and computational demands. Conclusion: Positioning this study as a scoping review clarifies its objective to map technologies and applications across digital neurosurgery rather than to synthesize effect estimates, thereby providing an evidence-informed overview to guide future systematic evaluations. Digital neurosurgery is rapidly evolving toward greater integration of multimodal data, real-time adaptive systems, and AI-driven automation. Future developments should focus on standardizing regulatory frameworks, enhancing data fusion capabilities, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration to fully realize the potential of digital technologies in advancing neurosurgical care.

Indexed as

3D imaging3D printingartificial intelligencedigital neurosurgerydigital twinsneurosurgery technologiesrobotic surgerysurgical navigation

Identifiers

PMID41476882
PMCPMC12747909

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.