Accuracy of individualized 3D modeling of ossicles using high-resolution computed tomography imaging data

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Otolaryngology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate 3D printing of patient-specific ossicles requires high-resolution imaging.
• Assessing the visibility of small ossicle parts on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and 3D reconstruction is crucial for improving 3D printing accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the visibility of small ossicle parts and landmarks on HRCT/3D reconstruction.
• To determine necessary improvements in scanning resolution for accurate patient-specific ossicle 3D printing.

Main Methods:

• 24 patients with sudden deafness underwent 256-slice spiral HRCT temporal bone scans.
• 3D segmentation and visualizations were created using Mimics 16.0 software.
• Reconstructed 3D images were compared with multiplanar reformation (MPR) and 3D volume-rendering (VR) images for consistency and accuracy evaluation.

Main Results:

• High display rates (≥90%) and excellent matching (κ > 0.75) were achieved for malleus and incus landmarks.
• Good display rates (around 60%) and matching (κ > 0.4) were observed for stapes landmarks (excluding the footplate).
• The stapes footplate showed a low display rate (25%) and significant differences compared to MPR (76.4%) and 3D VR (52.8%) images (κ < 0.4).

Conclusions:

• Mimics 16.0 software provides high accuracy and good restoration for malleus and incus visualization from HRCT data.
• The accuracy and restoration of the stapes footplate require further enhancement for precise 3D printing applications.