Digital Twin Technology In Radiology

Abstract

A digital twin is a computational model that provides a virtual representation of a specific physical object, system, or process and predicts its behavior at future time points. These simulation models form computational profiles for new diagnosis and prevention models. The digital twin is a concept borrowed from engineering. However, the rapid evolution of this technology has extended its application across various industries. In recent years, digital twins in healthcare have gained significant traction due to their potential to revolutionize medicine and drug development. In the context of radiology, digital twin technology can be applied in various areas, including optimizing medical device design, improving system performance, facilitating personalized medicine, conducting virtual clinical trials, and educating radiology trainees. Also, radiologic image data is a critical source of patient-specific measures that play a role in generating advanced intelligent digital twins. Generating a practical digital twin faces several challenges, including data availability, computational techniques, validation frameworks, and uncertainty quantification, all of which require collaboration among engineers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders. This review focuses on recent trends in digital twin technology and its intersection with radiology by reviewing applications, technological advancements, and challenges that need to be addressed for successful implementation in the field.