The simplified tailor-made workflows for a 3D slicer-based craniofacial implant design

Abstract

A specific design of craniofacial implant model is vital and urgent for patients with traumatic head injury. The mirror technique is commonly used for modeling these implants, but it requires the presence of a healthy skull region opposite to the defect. To address this limitation, we propose three processing workflows for modeling craniofacial implants: the mirror method, the baffle planner, and the baffle-based mirror guideline. These workflows are based on extension modules on the 3D Slicer platform and were developed to simplify the modeling process for a variety of craniofacial scenarios. To evaluate the effectiveness of these proposed workflows, we investigated craniofacial CT datasets collected from four accidental cases. The designed implant models were created using the three proposed workflows and compared to reference models created by an experienced neurosurgeon. The spatial properties of the models were evaluated using performance metrics. Our results show that the mirror method is suitable for cases where a healthy skull region can be completely reflected to the defect region. The baffle planner module offers a flexible prototype model that can be fit independently to any defect location, but it requires customized refinement of contour and thickness to fill the missing region seamlessly and relies on the user's experience and expertise. The proposed baffle-based mirror guideline method strengthens the baffle planner method by tracing the mirrored surface. Overall, our study suggests that the three proposed workflows for craniofacial implant modeling simplify the process and can be practically applied to a variety of craniofacial scenarios. These findings have the potential to improve the care of patients with traumatic head injuries and could be used by neurosurgeons and other medical professionals. © 2023, The Author(s).