With tools like Medicalholodeck AI and Medical Imaging XR, clinicians at UKM are transforming traditional 2D scans into fully interactive 3D environments. These environments aren’t just visually impressive - they’re changing the way we communicate, plan surgeries, and educate future professionals.
“We can now walk through the brain. We see the tumor as if it were in front of us - and explain it to the patient clearly,” says Prof. Dr. Markus Holling, Deputy Director of Neurosurgery at UKM.
Traditionally, MRI, CT, and ultrasound scans are interpreted on flat 2D monitors. But interpreting slices through the body takes time, experience - and often leaves patients in the dark.
With Medicalholodeck, these same scans are reconstructed into detailed 3D models that users can explore in VR. Neurosurgeons like Prof. Dr. Markus Holling at UKM now use this technology to rotate, zoom, slice, and annotate anatomical structures - right inside a virtual environment.
“In the headset, I can move through the brain, explore tumors from every angle, and explain findings to patients in a way that feels real and intuitive,” said Prof. Holling.
One of the most powerful aspects of VR is its impact on patients.
When Alexander Ewen, a glioblastoma patient at UKM, donned a headset and saw his tumor in 3D, he was able to understand what no 2D image had ever fully conveyed.
“The virtual view is pure gold. It’s incredibly helpful, especially for non-experts. Suddenly, it all becomes clear,” Mr. Ewen shared.
By giving patients access to interactive visualizations of their own anatomy, Medicalholodeck helps build trust, reduce anxiety, and empower individuals to engage in their care.
UKM uses Medicalholodeck’s multi-user VR environment to enable seamless collaboration between medical teams. An unlimited number of users can join a shared virtual space - whether in the same hospital or across different departments.
In these sessions, clinicians can:
Discuss patient cases collaboratively
Use VR as a teaching platform during grand rounds or pre-op meetings
Annotate live scans in 3D
Take measurements together
This isn’t just helpful - it’s transformative. VR enables a shared mental model for complex procedures, reducing miscommunication and improving outcomes.
Medicalholodeck is designed not only for clinical discussions, but also for education and training. At UKM, VR headsets are used in teaching environments where medical students and residents learn anatomy, pathology, and surgical strategies in an immersive, hands-on way.
With tools like:
Anatomy Master and Dissection Master – for in-depth anatomical exploration
Medical Imaging – for importing and working with DICOM images in 3D
Medicalholodeck AI – for automatic segmentation of DICOM data
RecordXR Studio – for capturing and creating VR training content
Medicalholodeck helps institutions like UKM bridge the gap between theory and practice.
UKM’s adoption of VR is part of a broader vision to integrate Medicalholodeck into every stage of patient care. The platform supports consultations, pre-operative planning, surgical team coordination, post-operative follow-up, and medical education. This makes Medicalholodeck a flexible, scalable solution that benefits both clinicians and patients across the entire clinical journey.
At UKM, Medicalholodeck has helped make the invisible visible - and the complex understandable. What was once limited to the mind of the surgeon is now accessible to the whole team and the patient.
As more hospitals follow UKM’s lead, immersive VR is set to become an essential tool in modern medicine - not just for seeing, but for understanding.
Images courtesy of, and copyrighted by UKM.