Comparison analysis of orbital shape and volume in unilateral fractured orbits

Facial fractures often result in changes of the orbital volume. These changes can be measured in three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) scans for preoperative planning and postoperative evaluation. The aim of this study was to analyze the orbital volume and shape before and after surgical treatment of unilateral orbital fractures using semi-automatic image segmentation and registration techniques. The orbital volume in 21 patients was assessed by a semi-automatic model-based segmentation method. The fractured orbit was compared relative to the contralateral orbit. The same procedure was performed for the postoperative evaluation. Two observers performed the segmentation procedure, and the inter- and intraobserver variability was evaluated. The interobserver variability (mean volume difference ± 1.96 SD) was -0.6 ± 1.0 ml in the first trial and 0.7 ± 0.8 ml in the second trial. The intra-observer variability was -0.2 ± 0.7 ml for the first observer and 1.1 ± 0.9 ml for the second observer. The average volume overlap (Dice similarity coefficient) between the fractured and contralateral side increased after surgery, while the mean and maximum surface distance decreased, indicating that the surgery contributed to a re-establishment of size and shape. In conclusion, our study shows that the semi-automatic segmentation method has precision for detecting volume differences down to 1.0 ml. The combination of semi-automatic segmentation and 3D shape analysis provides a powerful tool for planning and evaluating treatment of orbital fractures.