Methods and applications of three-dimensional imaging in orthopedics.

Computed tomography is a commonly used technique for detecting pathological alterations in soft tissues and the skeleton. Three-dimensional images of the skeleton are very useful for planning surgical treatment and monitoring therapy, but unfortunately mental reconstruction of complex three-dimensional anatomical structures from conventional tomography is very difficult. This article describes a process by which automated analysis of the regions of interest in the computed tomographic (CT) images yields the contours of the surfaces which can be presented pseudo-three-dimensionally using Phong's lighting model and Gouraud's shading methods. Three applications in the areas of orthopedics and neurosurgery demonstrate the efficacy of the method.