title: A three-dimensional mediastinal model created with rapid prototyping in a patient with ectopic thymoma.
abstract: Preoperative three-dimensional (3D) imaging of a mediastinal tumor using two-dimensional (2D) axial computed tomography is sometimes difficult, and an unexpected appearance of the tumor may be encountered during surgery. In order to evaluate the preoperative feasibility of a 3D mediastinal model that used the rapid prototyping technique, we created a model and report its results. The 2D image showed some of the relationship between the tumor and the pericardium, but the 3D mediastinal model that was created using the rapid prototyping technique showed the 3D lesion in the outer side of the extrapericardium. The patient underwent a thoracoscopic resection of the tumor, and the pathological examination showed a rare middle mediastinal ectopic thymoma. We believe that the construction of mediastinal models is useful for thoracoscopic surgery and other complicated surgeries of the chest diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inagaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D002828:Choristoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods; D013945:Thymoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome