3-DIMENSIONAL SOLID MODEL RECONSTRUCTION FOR NEUROSURGICAL APPROACH

Two different types of solid models of neurosurgical pathologies by 3- D reconstruction were presented and examined, and their clinical usefu lness was appraised by neurosurgical simulation. Cranial vessel models were proposed by solidifying liquid photopolymer based on 3-D MR angi ography data. These models provided total visual and tactile perceptio ns of the anatomy. Aneurysm model well demonstrated the root of its or igin and was useful in preoperative planning. Three dimensional demons tration of arterial angles gave more informations for performing trans arterial embolization of aneurysm. This method had advantages in visua lising more complicated or minute structures such as cerebral vessels. Intracranial pathologies and the skull base anatomy were demonstrated by milling urethane block based on CT data. These models were useful in deciding the appropriate direction of surgical approach for lesions located in the middle fossa. This method had another advantage to dem onstrate the details of anatomical relationships between macroscopic p athologies and surrounding structures. Milled models were useful for t he practice of preoperative simulation because urethane was easily pro cessed in comparison with solidified polymer. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.