How to make a three-dimensional surgical illustration of cerebral vessels with a personal computer: technical note.

Abstract

To introduce a method of making three-dimensional (3-D) illustrations of cerebral vessels with a personal computer. We generated the 3-D images from only two views of conventional angiograms (anteroposterior and lateral views) with a personal computer, two commercial software programs, and an image scanner. This method was applied to 10 consecutive cases of cerebral aneurysms. 3-D images were made in a few hours, and they contributed to assessing vascular structures of an aneurysm complex. This method is useful for discussing surgical strategies preoperatively. Our method may be used in any facility where conventional angiography, personal computers, and 3-D software are available.