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Three-dimensional Gray Scale Volume Rendering of the Liver

Preliminary Clinical Experience

Departments of Medical Ultrasonics (H.-X.X., X.-Y.X., L.L.) and Hepatobiliary Surgery (M.-D.L., X.-Y.Y.), The First Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; and Department of Ultrasound, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China (Y.-Q.Z., Q.-P.Z.).

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Ming-De Lu, MD, DMSc, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, People’s Republic of China.

Objective. To investigate the potential clinical usefulness of three-dimensional gray scale volume rendering in the liver. Methods. Sixty-two patients were enrolled in the study and categorized into 2 groups: group I with ascites and group II without. Two types of volume-rendering modes, i.e., surface and transparent, were used to obtain the three-dimensional images. The data were reviewed to identify the differences between two- and three-dimensional images of the liver in each subject. Results. In group I, three-dimensional sonography was superior to two-dimensional sonography in terms of surface features, edges, overall three-dimensional impression, image clarity, and structural relationships. However, it seemed that three-dimensional sonography in the surface mode was inferior to two-dimensional sonography in showing intrahepatic structures, because it had decreased resolution. In group II, three-dimensional sonography was superior to two-dimensional sonography with respect to the continuity of intrahepatic vessels, overall three-dimensional impression of the vessels, image clarity, and the relationship between lesions and neighboring vessels. However, the resolution of the lesions was decreased in 7 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions. Our experience suggests that three-dimensional gray scale volume rendering of the liver provides more diagnostic information than two-dimensional sonography; however, further studies are needed to evaluate its clinical importance.

Abbreviations: IVC, inferior vena cava • 3D, three-dimensional • 2D, two-dimensional

Key Words: gray scale • liver • three-dimensional sonography • volume rendering

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