Enabling technology
Computer-Assisted Navigation
Computer-assisted navigation matches detailed imaging of your spine to tracked instruments in the operating room, guiding trajectories and implant placement with measured precision.
What it is
Computer-assisted navigation begins with high-resolution imaging of your spine — typically a CT scan — taken during surgery or registered to pre-operative scans. A tracked reference frame and infrared or electromagnetic sensors link the position of the surgeon's instruments to that three-dimensional map in real time.
On the navigation display, Dr. Choi can see exactly where each instrument sits relative to your anatomy — including the intended path of a screw or implant — before and during placement.
How it supports precision
Navigation is especially valuable in the thoracic and lumbar spine, where screw placement demands accuracy around nerves, vessels, and the spinal canal. By showing the instrument's position against your actual anatomy, it supports precise, planned trajectories even when direct line of sight is limited by muscle or a minimally invasive corridor.
It also helps confirm that each implant matches the pre-operative plan, adding a verification step that complements — rather than replaces — the surgeon's own assessment.
Its limits
Navigation is a map, not a decision-maker. Its accuracy depends on stable registration between the imaging and your position on the operating table; if anatomy shifts, the guidance must be rechecked and, if needed, re-registered.
It cannot choose the right implant, determine whether a level needs fusion, or respond to something unexpected — those decisions remain the surgeon's. And for straightforward anatomy where direct visualization is excellent, navigation may add little beyond careful technique.
Initial consultation or second opinion?
Bring your imaging and your questions. Dr. Choi reviews the problem carefully and explains the options — including whether surgery is even the right next step.