title: New aspects of breast volume measurement using 3-dimensional surface imaging.
abstract: Precise and objective calculation of breast volume is helpful to evaluate the aesthetic result of breast surgery, but traditional methods are unsatisfactory. Three-dimensional (3D) scanning of the body surface allows reproducible and objective assessment of the complex breast region but requires further investigation before clinical application. The main goal of this study was to investigate the precision and accuracy of breast volume measurement using 3D body scanning. Five independent observers standardized the 3D scanning method using 2 dummy models (n = 200) and examined its applicability with 6 test subjects and 10 clinical patients (n = 2220). Breast volume measurements obtained with the 3D-scanner technology were compared with reference measurements obtained from test subjects through nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The mean deviation of the breast volume measurements of 1 test subject by all observers, expressed as percentage of volume, was 2.86 +/- 0.98, significantly higher than the deviation for the dummy models, 1.65 +/- 0.42 (P < 0.001). With respect to all clinical patients, the mean measurement precision obtained preoperatively was less precise than that obtained postoperatively (3.31 +/- 1.02 versus 1.66 +/- 0.49, respectively). Interobserver differences in measurement precision were not statistically significant. The mean breast volumes obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (441.42 +/- 137.05 mL) and 3D scanning (452.51 +/- 141.88 mL) significantly correlated (r = 0.995, P < 0.001). Breast volume measurement with 3D surface imaging represents a sufficiently precise and accurate method to guarantee objective and exact recording.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany. l.kovacs@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hollweck
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Settles
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Udosic
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schwenzer-Zimmerer
authors.forename: Nikolaos A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Papadopulos
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biemer
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D015588:Observer Variation