The simplified tailor-made workflows for a 3D slicer-based craniofacial implant design

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging
• Computational Anatomy

Background:

• Craniofacial implant design is critical for patients with traumatic head injuries.
• Existing mirror techniques for implant modeling have limitations, requiring intact contralateral skull regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel processing workflows for craniofacial implant modeling.
• To address limitations of the traditional mirror technique in diverse craniofacial defect scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of three distinct workflows: mirror method, baffle planner, and baffle-based mirror guideline, as 3D Slicer extension modules.
• Utilizing craniofacial CT datasets from four accidental trauma cases for model generation.
• Comparison of workflow-generated implant models against neurosurgeon-created reference models using spatial property metrics.

Main Results:

• The mirror method is effective when contralateral skull symmetry is present.
• The baffle planner provides a flexible prototype but requires user expertise for refinement.
• The baffle-based mirror guideline enhances the baffle planner by incorporating mirrored surface data, improving accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The proposed workflows simplify craniofacial implant modeling for various clinical scenarios.
• These methods offer practical tools for neurosurgeons and medical professionals treating traumatic head injuries.
• The developed workflows have the potential to enhance patient care outcomes in craniofacial reconstruction.