Development of three-dimensional image programs for research and education of human embryology

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The purpose of this research is to develop programs to assist the research and education of human embryology. In order to view the morphological change in the development of human embryos, we have acquired tree-dimensional (3D) images from specimens using equipments such as MR microscopes, extracting and displaying the 3D shapes of external and internal organs. Our results areas follows:(1)Congenital Anomaly Research Center in Kyoto University has huge number of specimens of human embryo. We have developed a system to retrieve and display the specimens efficiently, where the morphological features of the specimens can be compared from each other or with a standard 3D model, by viewing 3D images.(2)A part of the specimens described above are stored as serial sections. We have developed a system to reconstruct 3D shapes from the serially sectioned specimens, introducing the photographs of outside to improve the accuracy of reconstruction.(3)In order to assist 3D image analysis, we have developed procedures to display the topological relationship of isosurfaces in 3D scalar field, to describe the relationship in 3D digital images, and to extract regions (external and internal organs for the images of specimens) interactively using the relationship from 3D images.(4)We have developed a spaciotemporal 4D model describing not only morphological change of a human embryo, but also appearance and disappearance of internal organs. Using this model, we have developed a program to display the standard shape of external and internal organs with those of specimens extracted by procedures (3).