Creation of a three-dimensional model of human segmental lung anatomy

OBJECTIVE. The investigation of pulmonary embolism using scintigraphic tomo graphy requires a model of the internal architecture of the segments and su bsegments in the human lung. Such a model has been developed by the segment ation and subsegmentation of an existing whole-body tissue-segmented phanto m. MATERIALS AND METHODS. By using information from suitably windowed human ax ial CT scans, combined with the information gained from the injection of co lor-coded dyes into the segmental bronchi of human cadaveric lungs, the lob ar and segmental boundaries were added to the existing phantom. Further ref inements were added from reports in the literature regarding the predominan t pattern of subsegmental bronchi in a series of human cadavers, enabling t he creation of subsegmental boundaries. RESULTS, A digitized model of the segmental and subsegmental anatomy of the human lung was successfully created. External, or pleural, projections of the complex internal arrangement of the segments closely corresponded with the projections of the best available authorities on the subject. CONCLUSION. The model provides the opportunity to address several issues ge rmane to scintigraphy and important for diagnosing pulmonary embolic diseas e. In particular, the model allows the manipulation of three-dimensional da ta sets to explore issues of importance to tomographic lung scanning.