Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 19, 2026
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Orbital Fractures
Published on: May 16, 2025
Should Virtual Mirroring Be Used in the Preoperative Planning of an Orbital Reconstruction?
Jesper Jansen1, Leander Dubois2, Ruud Schreurs1
1PhD Student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orbital Unit and 3D Lab, Academic Medical Centre of Amsterdam, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
Mirroring has been used as a diagnostic tool in orbital wall fractures for many years, but limited research is available proving the assumed symmetry of orbits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate volume and contour differences between orbital cavities in healthy humans.
Materials And Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, the left and right orbital cavities of a consecutive sample of patients' computed tomograms were measured. Inclusion criteria were patients with no sign of orbital or sinus pathology or fracture. Outcome variables were differences in volume and contour. Descriptive statistics and Student paired t test were used for data analysis of orbital volume and distance maps were used for analysis of orbital contour.
Results:
The sample was composed of 100 patients with a mean age of 57; 50% were men. The total mean orbital volume was 27.53 ± 3.11 mL. Mean difference between cavities was 0.44 ± 0.31 mL or 1.59% (standard deviation [SD], 1.10%). The orbital contour showed high similarity, with an absolute mean left-versus-right difference of 0.82 mm (SD, 0.23 mm).
Conclusion:
The authors hypothesize that the measured differences between right and left orbital volumes and contours are clinically minor. In consequence, the use of mirroring tools as part of preoperative planning in orbital reconstruction is legitimate with the aim of simulating the pre-traumatized anatomy.
