title: Three dimensional measurement of rhinoplasty results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pre- and postoperative imaging is important and essential for evaluation of the results of rhinoplasty surgery. Two-dimensional photographs are used routinely for this purpose, but have several disadvantages as opposed to three-dimensional imaging techniques, such as stereophotogrammetry. This study is the first to describe the measurement of rhinoplasty results using stereophotogrammetry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of 3D imaging to measure and objectify rhinoplasty results.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 6-month period all consecutive hump reduction patients were included in this prospective study. Pre- and postoperative 3D photographs were taken and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve patients were studied. In ten of these twelve patients a significant volume reduction in the area of the nasal dorsum was found with stereophotogrammetry. The maximum decrease (i.e. lowering) of the nasal dorsum ranged from 0.8 to 4.4 mm. In two patients no reduction of the nasal dorsum was found. In both patients this was due to additional changes made to the nose during surgery. These changes, increased tip rotation and dorsal augmentation respectively, were also documented with stereophotogrammetry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both pronounced as well as subtle postoperative changes of rhinoplasty surgery can be objectified and measured with stereophotogrammetry. This tool can be used to study whether surgical techniques have the desired effect on the nose, and to compare different techniques with each other.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. n.vanheerbeek@kno.umcn.nl
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: van Heerbeek
authors: Koen J A O
authors: KJ
authors: Ingels
authors: Bram
authors: B
authors: van Loon
authors: Joanneke M
authors: JM
authors: Plooij
authors: Stefaan J
authors: SJ
authors: Bergé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012225:Rhinoplasty