title: Quantitative analysis of three-dimensional rendered imaging of the human skull acquired from multi-detector row computed tomography.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) rendered images acquired with multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) by means of distance measurements of a dry human skull for various slice thicknesses and acquisition modes. A radiologist directly measured the distance of line items on the skull surface to establish reference "gold standards." The skull specimen was scanned with a MDCT with various scanning parameters (slice thicknesses and acquisition modes). An observer measured the corresponding distances of the same items on 3D rendered images. The quantitative accuracy of distance measurements was statistically evaluated. There were no significant statistical differences (P value <.05) in accuracy of distance measurements among the scan modes. However, the results showed that acquisition slice thickness was the influential factor in determining the accuracy of the 3D rendered MDCT images. The quantitative analysis of distance measurement may be a useful tool evaluating the accuracy and defining optimal parameters of 3D rendered images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, 134 Shinchon-dong Seodaemoon-ku, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
authors.forename: Haijo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Hee-Joung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Ook
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soon-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ha-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Kee-Deog
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Hyung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D012016:Reference Values; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed