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Eigen-disfigurement model for simulating plausible facial disfigurement after reconstructive surgery
Juhun Lee1,2, Michelle C Fingeret3,4, Alan C Bovik5
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2501 Speedway, Stop C0803, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. juhunlee@utexas.edu.
Background:
Patients with facial cancers can experience disfigurement as they may undergo considerable appearance changes from their illness and its treatment. Individuals with difficulties adjusting to facial cancer are concerned about how others perceive and evaluate their appearance. Therefore, it is important to understand how humans perceive disfigured faces. We describe a new strategy that allows simulation of surgically plausible facial disfigurement on a novel face for elucidating the human perception on facial disfigurement.
Method:
Longitudinal 3D facial images of patients (N = 17) with facial disfigurement due to cancer treatment were replicated using a facial mannequin model, by applying Thin-Plate Spline (TPS) warping and linear interpolation on the facial mannequin model in polar coordinates. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to capture longitudinal structural and textural variations found within each patient with facial disfigurement arising from the treatment. We treated such variations as disfigurement. Each disfigurement was smoothly stitched on a healthy face by seeking a Poisson solution to guided interpolation using the gradient of the learned disfigurement as the guidance field vector. The modeling technique was quantitatively evaluated. In addition, panel ratings of experienced medical professionals on the plausibility of simulation were used to evaluate the proposed disfigurement model.
Results:
The algorithm reproduced the given face effectively using a facial mannequin model with less than 4.4 mm maximum error for the validation fiducial points that were not used for the processing. Panel ratings of experienced medical professionals on the plausibility of simulation showed that the disfigurement model (especially for peripheral disfigurement) yielded predictions comparable to the real disfigurements.
Conclusions:
The modeling technique of this study is able to capture facial disfigurements and its simulation represents plausible outcomes of reconstructive surgery for facial cancers. Thus, our technique can be used to study human perception on facial disfigurement.
Insights
Researchers developed a new method to simulate surgically plausible facial disfigurement. This technique accurately models appearance changes from cancer treatment, aiding the study of human perception of disfigured faces.
Area of Science:
- Medical imaging
- Computer graphics
- Psychology
Background:
- Facial cancer treatment can cause disfigurement, impacting patients' self-perception and social interactions.
- Understanding human perception of disfigured faces is crucial for patient support and reconstructive surgery.
- A novel strategy is presented to simulate surgically plausible facial disfigurement for perception studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a new technique for simulating surgically plausible facial disfigurement.
- To capture and replicate longitudinal variations in facial disfigurement.
- To provide a tool for studying human perception of disfigured faces.
Main Methods:
- Replication of longitudinal 3D facial images from 17 patients using a facial mannequin model with Thin-Plate Spline (TPS) warping.
- Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to capture structural and textural variations representing disfigurement.
- Poisson-based guided interpolation to seamlessly integrate simulated disfigurement onto a healthy face.
Main Results:
- The algorithm achieved high accuracy in reproducing facial features, with a maximum error of less than 4.4 mm.
- Simulated disfigurements, particularly peripheral ones, were rated as highly plausible by experienced medical professionals.
- The model effectively captured and simulated longitudinal changes in facial disfigurement.
Conclusions:
- The developed modeling technique accurately captures facial disfigurements and simulates plausible outcomes of reconstructive surgery.
- This technique offers a valuable tool for investigating human perception of facial disfigurement.
- The study provides a foundation for improving patient care and psychological support for individuals with facial disfigurement.
