The liver dimensional (3D) models, consists of eight segments including portal triad (portal vein, hepatic artery, and bile duct), are necessary because it is difficult to dissect a liver and its inner structures. But it is difficult to produce 3D models from high resolution and color sectioned-images. This study presents automatic and accurate methods for producing liver 3D models from the sectioned- images. Based on the sectioned-images and color-filled-images of the liver, a 3D model including both the portal triad and hepatic vein was made. Referring to the 3D model, 3D models of liver’s eight segments including the segmental branches of the portal triad and hepatic vein were completed and saved as STL format. All STL files were combined and saved as Liver-3D in PDF format for the common user. By functional subdivision of liver, the Liver-3D was divided into left (segments II, III, and, IV) and right (segments V, VI, VII, and VIII) liver in bookmark window of the PDF file. In addition, in Liver-3D, the primary to tertiary segmental branches of the portal triad could be shown in different colors. Owing to the difficulty of 3D modeling of liver including eight segments and segmental branches of the portal triad and hepatic, we started this research to find automatic methods for producing 3D models. The methods for producing liver 3D models will assist in 2D selection and 3D modeling of other complicated structures.
KEY WORD: Liver; Hepatic veins; Cross-sectional anatomy; Three-dimensional imaging; Visible Human Projects.
