A SIMPLIFIED SIMULATION-MODEL AND VIRTUAL-REALITY VISUALIZATION OF TUMOR-GROWTH IN-VITRO

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the impact that modern visuali zation techniques can have on the simulation of biological processes s uch as tumour growth. Therefore, a simplified three-dimensional cytoki netic simulation model of tumour growth in vitro has been developed. R esults concerning the development of a small cell lung cancer (SCLC) t umour spheroid in cell culture have been obtained and their behaviour has been compared with both published data and laboratory experience. A special visualization system allowing real time surface and volume r endering on inexpensive computer hardware has been proposed. Its appli cation to the model has led to a spectacular three-dimensional visuali zation of both the external and the internal structure of a growing tu mour spheroid. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.