Capturing Stereoscopic Three-Dimensional Images with a Cellphone Camera for Neuroanatomical Documentation: A...

Three-dimensional visualization of neuroanatomy is essential for neurosurgical training, and stereoscopic photography remains a valuable educational tool. However, its use has traditionally depended on professional digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, limiting accessibility. Given recent advances in smartphones in imaging, these devices may represent a low-cost alternative for stereoscopic neuroanatomical documentation. This study aimed to describe a step-by-step protocol for capturing stereoscopic 3-dimensional images with a smartphone and to evaluate whether their perceptual quality differs from DSLR-based images.

A standardized workflow was developed to obtain left and right images using a smartphone camera, maintaining fixed parameters for parallax, distance, lighting, and exposure. Images were aligned using freely available software and presented through polarized stereoscopic projection. Nine stereoscopic pairs representing a skull, surgical approaches, and a dissected brain were produced, and 9 additional pairs were obtained using a DSLR camera. Sixteen neurosurgeons evaluated the images using a 5-point Likert scale for sharpness, depth perception, and artifacts. Group differences were analyzed with the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test and Cliff's Delta.

No statistically significant differences were found between smartphone and DSLR images for sharpness, depth perception, or artifacts (all P>0.05) and effect sizes were negligible (|δ|<0.14).

To our knowledge, this is the first study to statistically compare stereoscopic neuroanatomical photographs acquired with a smartphone and a professional DSLR camera. Under standardized conditions, smartphones were able to produce stereoscopic images that were favorably rated by observers, while representing a substantially lower-cost and more accessible alternative.