title: Prostatectomy Evaluation using 3D Visualization and Quantitation.
abstract: Prostate cancer is a disease with a long natural history. Differences in survival outcomes as indicators of inappropriate surgery would take decades to appear. Therefore, the evaluation of the excised specimen according to defined parameters provides a more reasonable and timely assessment of surgical quality. There are currently a number of very different surgical approaches. Some uniform guidelines and quality assessment measuring readily available parameters would be desirable to establish a standard for comparison of surgical approaches and for individual surgical performance. In this paper, we present a novel methodology to objectively quantify the assessment process utilizing a 3D reconstructed model for the prostate gland. To this end, we discuss the development of a process employing image reconstruction and analysis techniques to assess the percent of capsule covered by soft tissue. A final goal is to develop software for the purpose of a quality assurance assessment for pathologists and surgeons to evaluate the adequacy/appropriateness of each surgical procedure; laparoscopic versus open perineal or retropubic prostatectomy. Results from applying this technique are presented and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Old Dominion University, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schellhammer
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rao Chaganty