Real-Color Volume Models Made from Real-Color Sectioned Images of Visible Korean

Abstract

Background: Volume models made from magnetic resonance images on computed tomographs can produce horizontal, coronal, sagittal, and oblique planes that are used widely in clinics, although detailed structures cannot be identified. Existing real color volume models are mostly commercial and their production methods have not been released. The aim of this study was to distribute free of charge, real-color volume models produced from sectioned images with the production method.

Methods: The original voxel size of sectioned images was increased appropriately so that the volume model could be handled by typical personal computers. By using Dicom Browser and MRIcroGL, the sectioned images were processed to become the volume models.

Results: On the MRIcroGL, the resultant volume model with the voxel size of 0.5 × 0.5 × 0.5 mm³ could be displayed and freely rotated. By adjusting variables of the software, desired oblique planes could be produced instantly. With overlay function, a model of segmented structure can be overlapped to the entire volume models. The sectioned images with high quality and the segmentation data of Visible Korean enabled the identification of detailed anatomical structures on the planes.

Conclusion: The volume models can be used by medical students and doctors for learning sectional anatomy. Other researchers can utilize the method of this study to produce volume models from their own sectioned images.

Keywords: Computer Simulation; Cross-Sectional Anatomy; Three-Dimensional Imaging; Visible Human Projects.

Fig. 1. Real color volume model and segmented volume model. Classical three (horizontal, coronal, and sagittal) sectional planes on a real-color volume model (A) and segmented volume model (B) from Visible Korean.

Fig. 2. Classical horizontal, coronal, and sagittal planes and the cutout volume models. (A) The midpoint anterior and posterior commissural planes at the horizontal, coronal, and sagittal 0 mm are displayed on a classical two-dimensional viewer. (B) Real-color volume model. (C, D) The hippocampus can be found, in which a plane passes the bilateral ear helix, bilateral external acoustic meatus, and medial eyebrow.

Fig. 3. Azimuth and elevation on a coordinate system in a real-color volume model. (A) In the case of combination of azimuth, elevation, and depth in a real-color volume, the number of cases that the planes are made are 129,600,000. (B) Oblique planes of the azimuth from 180° to 270° at every 15°, elevation from 0° to 90° at every 15°, and a depth of 0.5 are displayed.

Fig. 4. Oblique planes for clinical education. (A) Subthalamus, which is the target of deep brain surgery, is identified on the probe's eye view for a deep brain stimulation and (B) on the neuro-ocular plane for ophthalmology.

Fig. 5. Real-color volume model overlapped with a segmented volume model. (A) From the overlapped volume model, the cerebellum is indicated on classical three planes and (B) on the cutout volume model.

Fig. 6. Oblique planes on the volume models of other studies. Volume models of this study (A) with its expanded view of the brain (D) is superior to Anatomage Table (B, E) in terms of resolution, even though the two models from identical sectioned images of Visible Korean. The volume model of this study (A, D) is superior to the model of Visible Human Project (C, F) in both resolution and color.