Date: October 2014.
Source: 3D Body Scanning Conference, Lugano, Switzerland.
Abstract: Breast reconstruction is an integral part of the breast cancer treatment process and has shown to positively impact the patient’s psychosocial adjustment and quality of life. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization and quantification of the breast for different types of reconstruction procedures can allow for a better understanding of the changes in breast shape during the reconstruction process. It is important to realize that the reconstruction process can take as long as 18 – 24 months and the breasts typically change shape over the recuperation period following completion of any given surgical procedure. In this study we present a novel approach for monitoring and quantifying changes in breast shape using 3D surface images of the torso in conjunction with curvature measurements. The results of this study can help provide information to surgeons and patients about the dynamic changes in breast morphology occurring during the various stages of the reconstruction process. In our approach, we compare the curvature values of different regions of the breasts at longitudinal time-points of approximately 3-month intervals over the course of the reconstruction process. Results are shown for six patients. Three patients underwent the Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (TRAM) flap procedure for breast reconstruction, and the remaining three patients underwent implant-based reconstructions. Through our approach, we saw significant changes occurring along the lower pole of the breasts during the reconstruction process, which showed the importance of performing temporal evaluation in order to detect these changes.
Presentation: Visualization and Quantification of Female Breast Morphology During Breast Reconstruction.
Authors: Audrey L. Cheong, Gregory P. Reece, Michelle C. Fingeret, Fatima Merchant.