Three dimensional (3D) computed tomography images reconstruction in liver surgery

Abstract

Advancement in radiological imaging technique has been crucial in the development of most of the surgical fields. Planning for operations needs good visualization of the organ and localization of the lesion within it, which was possible by Computed Tomography (CT) & Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). However, without knowledge of major blood vessels or other important structures related to the lesion, surgery cannot be performed curatively and safely at the same time. In neurosurgery, this fact has been early recognized and three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique widely adopted to increase accuracy of the procedures. Similarly, reconstructed 3D images have been very useful in orthopaedic and maxillofacial surgery as well [1]. And recently, it has been widely implicated in liver surgery; liver transplantation and oncologic liver resection. © 2006 Springer-Verlag/Wien.