ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Comparing with two dimensional (2D) imaging, both in diagnosis and treatment, three dimensional (3D) imaging has many advantages in clinical medicine. 3D reconstruction makes the target easier to identify and reveals the volume and shape of the organ much better than 2D imaging. A 3D digitized visible model of the liver was built to provide anatomical structure for planing of hepatic operation and for realizing accurate simulation of the liver on the computer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Transverse sections of abdomen were chosen from the Chinese Visible Human dataset. And Amira software was selected to segment and reconstruct the structures of the liver. The liver was reconstructed in three-dimensions with both surface and volume rendering reconstruction.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Accurately segmented images of the main structures of the liver were completed. The reconstructed structures can be displayed singly, in small groups or as a whole and can be continuously rotated in 3D space at different velocities.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The reconstructed liver is realistic, which demonstrates the natural shape and exact position of liver structures. It provides an accurate model for the automated segmentation algorithmic study and a digitized anatomical mode of viewing the liver.</p>