Tridimensional Vectorial Modeling of the Human Body From Anatomical Slices

Abstract

Digital anatomy has emerged as an essential subfield of anatomy that processes the human body with the help of a computer. 3D reconstruction tools have been developed over the years, being always complementary to cadaver dissection. Teachers' main goal is to provide a greater understanding of the spatial structures of the body and its internal organs thanks to 3D reconstruction techniques. Manual segmentation and creation of 3D vectorial models is probably the best anatomy learning tool for beginners and students. The aim of this chapter is to show how to create vectorial models from anatomical slices with Winsurf® software, highlighting their educational value. Resulting 3D models could also be used through the interface of virtual dissection, which has been proven to be immensely valuable for anatomy education, particularly by using immersive reality techniques. It could also be the basis of future simulation tools for surgeon training.