Surface scanning: an application to mammary surgery

The possibility of mathematically describing the body surface represents a useful tool for several medical sectors, such as prosthetics or plastic surgery, and could improve diagnosis and objective evaluation of deformities and the follow-up of progressive diseases. The approach presented is based on the acquisition of a surface scanned by a laser beam. The 3-D coordinates of the spot generated on the surface by the laser beam are computed by an automatic image analyzer (ELITE system). Using at least two different views of the subject, the 3-D coordinates are obtained by stereophotogrammetry. A software package for graphic representation and extraction of linear superficial and volumetric features from the acquired surface has been developed and some preliminary results with mammary reconstruction are presented. A good mammary reconstruction after mastectomy must achieve two results. First, the reconstruction should follow the patients' wishes and second, the reconstructed breast should be as similar as possible to the contralateral one (symmetry is the most important aesthetic parameter to be considered). To achieve these goals, a knowledge of breast volume, area, and shape features are essential for the surgeon. In such a context, this system could be a valuable tool in improving breast reconstructive surgery. © 1998 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.