Evaluation of surface and volume rendering in 3D-CT of facial fractures.
OBJECTIVE
Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of facial fractures has been reported as beneficial using surface (SR) and volume rendering (VR). There are controversial statements concerning the preferable algorithm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare SR and VR for clinical 3D-CT in facial fractures on an experimental basis.


METHODS
Multislice CT was obtained in 22 patients with facial fractures using two data acquisition protocols. Five SR and VR post-processing protocols were applied. Five assessors independently evaluated the quality of visualization of the fracture gap and dislocated fragments as well as the overall image quality using a five-point rating scale. The potential benefit of the 3D-images for radiological diagnosis and presentation was evaluated. The influence of the data acquisition protocol was analysed.


RESULTS
SR in general achieved better evaluation scores than VR at corresponding thresholds. Variation of evaluation scores for all criteria was found for SR and VR depending on the segmentation threshold. Apart from the overall image quality no significant influence of the data acquisition technique was found for the evaluated criteria.


CONCLUSIONS
SR provided sufficient and time efficient means for 3D-visualization of facial fractures in this study. No diagnostic benefit of VR over SR was found.
Rodt
T
T
Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover University Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. rodt@gmx.de
Bartling
S O
SO
Zajaczek
J E
JE
Vafa
M A
MA
Kapapa
T
T
Majdani
O
O
Krauss
J K
JK
Zumkeller
M
M
Matthies
H
H
Becker
H
H
Kaminsky
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging