Impact of Errors in 3D Imaging

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The accuracy and reliability of 3D imaging is critical in healthcare, where these technologies are used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and surgery. Errors in 3D imaging can have significant consequences, impacting patient outcomes, diagnostic precision, and treatment effectiveness. These errors may arise from various sources, including equipment malfunction, improper image processing, or human error during interpretation. Implementing proper quality control procedures is essential for improving imaging techniques, ensuring patient safety, and enhancing the overall efficacy of medical procedures that rely on 3D imaging. Below are several different cases demonstrating the impact of imaging errors on patient care.

Kidney Donation

During the evaluation of a Living Related Donor (LRD) scan for kidney donation a comprehensive analysis of the renal vascular anatomy, including details like count, dimensions, and precise positioning of each renal artery and vein are required. This evaluation is used to determine the compatibility of the donor and recipients vascular systems for transplantation.

In this example, an accessory renal artery (an additional blood vessel that supplies blood to the kidney besides the main renal artery) was missed on the 3D imaging. If this error is not identified it could lead to extended surgery time, increased changes of bleeding, compromised kidney function, and in serious scenarios, transplant rejection.

Prostate Biopsy

Regions of Interest (ROIs) are marked on prostate medical images to define areas that may need be biopsied for cancer evaluation. These ROIs guide a robotic system to accurately direct the biopsy needle to the targeted tissue within the prostate. The tissue samples collected are then examined and guide subsequent treatment planning for the patient.

In this example, a ROI for a prostate biopsy is inaccurately marked. If this error passes undetected, it may result in the sampling of an incorrect area, potentially resulting in misdiagnosis.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure for replacing a diseased aortic valve in patients with aortic stenosis, involving measurement of the aortic valve annulus for accurate sizing of the replacement device.

This example shows an incorrect measurement of the left coronary artery (LCA).? If not corrected, this error can lead to significant complications of the TAVR procedure including valve mispositioning, causing coronary obstruction or sub-optimal sealing. This can potentially result in serious complications like myocardial infarction (heart attack), ischemia, or the need for additional surgical interventions.

Aneurysm Treatment

Curved Planar Reformation (CPR) is an imaging technique that reformats 3D data into 2D images along curved structures like blood vessels, aiding in the treatment of various conditions. It is crucial for visualizing aneurysms for precise surgical planning, delineating blood vessels in brain cancer for safer tumor removal, and assessing narrowed arteries in Moyamoya disease to guide effective surgical interventions.

An off-centered centerline in a CPR can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and flawed surgical planning, as it may misrepresent the size, shape, and course of anatomical structures. This inaccuracy poses risks during surgical interventions, potentially causing complications and delays in treatment, and may reduce patient confidence in the diagnostic and treatment process.

Calcium Score

A calcium score, determined through a cardiac CT scan, quantifies the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries, serving as an indicator of coronary artery disease and helping assess the risk of future heart problems. Higher scores indicate a greater plaque burden and an increased risk of heart disease, aiding doctors in treatment decision-making.

Missing calcified regions in a report can lead to an underestimation of coronary artery disease severity, potentially delaying necessary treatments and increasing the risk of heart-related complications for the patient.

3D Printed Epilepsy Model

Electrodes, when placed on the scalp or directly on the brain’s surface, can detect abnormal electrical activity characteristic of epilepsy, aiding in the precise localization of seizure focus for targeted treatment. This information is vital for guiding surgical interventions or optimizing medication therapy to control or eliminate epileptic seizures. 3D Printing offers another way to view this information, but introduces new ways to create errors.

If part of an electrode is missed during the review of its placement, it could lead to inaccurate mapping of brain activity, potentially resulting in an incorrect diagnosis or suboptimal treatment planning for epilepsy. In addition to the healthcare impacts, missing or incorrectly trimming a piece of 3D mesh can potentially disrupt the printing process, depending on the technology and setup of the files, resulting in a failed model and wasted material.