VISUALIZATION OF NEONATAL ANATOMY AND PATHOLOGY WITH A NEW COMPUTERIZED 3-DIMENSIONAL MODEL AS A BASIS FOR TEACHING, DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY

A new computerized three-dimensional (3D) volume model derived from a postmortem MRI series of the chest and abdomen of a human newborn allo ws interactive dissection by removing, adding organs or cutting in unl imited directions. The advanced technique of real volume visualization instead of using contours allows one to study the normal and patholog ical anatomy of the neonate. Anatomical details of the pleural, perica rdial and peritoneal cavities and of abdominal veins are demonstrated. Compared to conventional methods, the advantages of this model for te aching and as a basis for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic procedure s are evident.