A new methodology for assessment of pectus excavatum correction after bar removal in Nuss procedure: Preliminary study

Abstract

III.

A Novel Objective Approach to the External Measurement of Pectus Excavatum Severity by Means of an Optical Device

“…Recently, several approaches have been proposed to assess the chest deformity using optical three-dimensional (3D) body scanners as a convincing radiation-free alternative to computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging [4][5][6]. These techniques show promising results in assessing PE severity; however, they require human intervention in the measurement process or, most importantly, they require the patient to stand still for a considerable length of time.…”

Changes in thoracic cavity dimensions of pectus excavatum patients following Nuss procedure

“…However, these indices do not reflect the three-dimensional structure of the thoracic cavity, as they are measured at only one cross-section. Three-dimensional images are very useful and can accurately determine the cephalocaudal extent of the depression and morphological changes following an operation (17). However, they require specific devices and analytical software.…”

Three-Dimensional Optical Imaging for Pectus Excavatum Assessment

“…Compared with other published methods of radiation-free imaging of pectus, our method offers the advantage of imaging the complete thorax, rather than just the anterior surface. 16,17 In addition to predicting the Haller index for possible surgical correction, our model can additionally be used to objectively and precisely measure nonsurgical treatment progress or changes with growth without repeated exposure to ionizing radiation.…”

“…Two previous groups have shown that optical imaging systems can capture topographic measurements that correlate well with the traditional Haller index, but the technology at the time required cumbersome equipment and multiple cameras. [13][14][15] Uccheddu and colleagues 16 and Gomes-Fonesca and colleagues 17 attempted to improve upon this idea by using single camera, fixed optical scanners, or laser scanners, with promising results, but were limited to only imaging the anterior torso.…”