A computer reconstruction system for biological macro- and microstructures traced from serial sections.

A system of programs for building three-dimensional (3D) models of biological macro- and microstructures has been developed. A PDP 11/34 laboratory minicomputer with graphical output devices, and a QUANTIMET image analyzer are used for the reconstruction. The contours of the features can be digitized directly from tissue sections mounted on the stage of an OPTON research light microscope, or indirectly from microphotographs, and from camera lucida drawings. The operator selects contours of features in question from the image by using Quantimet's interactive input devices and commands the Quantimet system to record the image. The 3D models are built from a series of 2D outlines. In the visualization phase the reconstructed objects can be investigated from different viewpoints with their hidden lines removed. Additional calculations (volume and surface area) help in quantitative classification of the reconstructed structures.