title: Techniques, clinical applications and limitations of 3D reconstruction in CT of the abdomen.
abstract: Enhanced z-axis coverage with thin overlapping slices in breath-hold acquisitions with multidetector CT (MDCT) has considerably enhanced the quality of multiplanar 3D reconstruction. This pictorial essay describes the improvements in 3D reconstruction and technical aspects of 3D reconstruction and rendering techniques available for abdominal imaging. Clinical applications of 3D imaging in abdomen including liver, pancreaticobiliary system, urinary and gastrointestinal tracts and imaging before and after transplantation are discussed. In addition, this article briefly discusses the disadvantages of thin-slice acquisitions including increasing numbers of transverse images, which must be reviewed by the radiologist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston 02184, USA. mmaher@partners.org
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: Mannudeep K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Dushyant V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Sahani
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Perumpillichira
authors.forename: Stephania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014567:Urography / Q000379:methods