Bringing Procedure Visualization to Life Through Virtual Reality
At the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) 2026 conference in Copenhagen, Delcath Systems introduced attendees to a new way of understanding the percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) procedure: through an immersive virtual reality experience.
Booth F05, Foyer 1–4 became an unexpected hub of engagement this week, as interventional radiologists, interventionalists, and healthcare professionals stepped into VR headsets to explore the CHEMOSAT® procedure from an entirely new perspective. What started as a novel exhibit turned into something deeper: a genuine conversation about how we educate, train, and visualize complex minimally invasive interventions.
Why VR? A Strategic Shift in Medical Education
The motivation behind this VR experience is straightforward: procedure comprehension matters. Whether you’re training new interventional radiologists, educating referring physicians, or helping patients understand what to expect, static presentations and 2D diagrams have limitations.
Virtual reality removes those barriers. It allows practitioners to step into the procedure room, follow the anatomical pathway, and observe critical decision points, all in a controlled, repeatable environment.
The Business Case for Immersive Learning
In a field where precision and familiarity breed confidence, VR accelerates competency. It also levels the playing field globally, geography no longer determines access to procedural training. For Delcath, it’s a recognition that adoption isn’t just about clinical data; it’s about empowering practitioners to see and feel the procedure before they perform it.
What Attendees Experienced
The VR journey guides users through the key phases of PHP with CHEMOSAT®:
- View of a healthy liver – Establish anatomical baseline
- View of a liver with metastases – Visualize the disease burden being treated
- Step into the procedure room – Experience the setup and patient positioning
- Follow the intervention – Navigate the catheter placement and hepatic artery access
- Explore the treatment – Visualize chemotherapy delivery to the liver
- Walk through with an expert – A guided narration from clinical team members explains decision points and anatomical landmarks in real time
Attendees ranged from PHP-experienced practitioners to those evaluating the procedure for the first time. The reaction was consistent: immersion creates understanding.
One consistent theme emerged throughout the three days: VR training was extraordinarily popular with interventional radiology students and early-career practitioners. For this audience, seeing the procedure step-by-step in immersive detail wasn’t just helpful – it was transformative.
As one radiology resident reflected after the experience: “It’s so cool and a great way to make the procedure easy to understand.”
The Clinical Foundation: Data on PHP for Metastatic Uveal Melanoma
During CIRSE 2026, Linde van den Hoek and colleagues from Leiden University Medical Centre presented findings from a meta-analysis evaluating percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP) compared with best alternative care (BAC) in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM). The CIRSE presentation was based on a recently published article in the European Journal of Cancer.
Key Findings from the Latest Analysis
- Higher objective response rate (ORR) with PHP compared with best alternative care (BAC)
- Improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with best alternative care
- Favorable overall survival (OS) outcomes associated with PHP in the analyzed patient populations
- Hematologic adverse events were the most frequently reported toxicities in the PHP studies
The meta-analysis pooled data from previously published studies, including single-arm cohorts, which limited direct statistical comparisons. However, the consistency of findings across efficacy endpoints suggests PHP may play an important role in treatment sequencing for appropriately selected patients with liver-dominant disease.
Readers are encouraged to review the full European Journal of Cancer publication to better understand the study methodology, patient populations, limitations and clinical context. Percutaneous hepatic perfusion versus best alternative care as treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma: a meta-analysis
Bottom line: In this meta-analysis of published studies, PHP was associated with improved efficacy outcomes compared with best alternative care in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. As with all scientific publications, healthcare professionals are encouraged to review the full article to understand the study methodology, patient populations, limitations and clinical context.
Why This Matters for Practitioners
For interventional radiologists considering PHP adoption, this data answers a critical question: Does this work? The answer is yes, for the right patient population, at the right point in the disease journey.
Leadership Perspective: Why Delcath Is Betting on VR
Beyond booth engagement, Delcath’s investment in VR reflects a larger strategic belief: the future of device adoption relies on intuitive education.
“We’re not building VR because it’s flashy. We’re building it because adoption of complex procedures stalls when practitioners can’t visualize what they’re doing. VR closes that gap. It’s an investment in our customers’ confidence and our patients’ access to better treatment options.”
More Than an Exhibit: A Conversation Starter
Across three days in Copenhagen, the Delcath booth hosted dozens of conversations about:
- Percutaneous hepatic perfusion with CHEMOSAT® and its role in liver-directed therapy
- Patient selection and sequencing in metastatic liver disease
- Procedural training and how immersive technology can accelerate competency
- The future of interventional oncology and where liver-directed therapy fits in the evolving treatment landscape
These conversations will ripple far beyond the conference. Referral patterns don’t change overnight, but familiarity, confidence, and clinical evidence compound over time.
Some of the Delcath team exploring Copenhagen [Left to right]: Jake Hay, Linda Mulholland, Emma Callinan, Thibaud Retiere
The Bottom Line
CIRSE 2026 was a reminder that innovation in interventional oncology isn’t only about new devices or clinical breakthroughs. Sometimes it’s about finding smarter ways to share what already works, and VR is proving to be a powerful tool in that mission.
For interventional radiologists and radiologists considering PHP, the message is clear: There’s a new way to understand this procedure. Step into it.
Contributed by Daphne Jordan, Marketing Manager — Education & Awareness, and Emma Callinan, Associate Brand Manager, EMEA, Delcath Systems.
Interested in learning more about PHP with CHEMOSAT® or experiencing the VR demo?
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