Three-dimensional imaging reconstruction of the ulnar nerve functional fascicular groups / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To reconstruct on the basis of histological study the computerized 3D ima ges of the fascicular groups of ulnar nerve,which can be used to guide the microsurg ical repair of injuries of brachial plexus and ulnar nerve and to provide morpholog ical evidence for the functional rec overy of intrinsic muscles of hand after root avulsion of brachial plexus.Methods The successive AchE-staining histo logical cross-sections were made.T he photos of the sections were transformed into digital information and sto red in the computer.Different functional fas-cicular groups were distinguished a nd marked on each section.The topographic database was analyzed by image pro-cessing software,with the support o f OpenGL three dimensional graphic l ibrary.3D images of the fascicular g roups of ulnar nerve were reconstructed usin g the contour-based surface constru ction method in the program written w ith VC language.Results The 3D images of the individual external surface of the reconstructive fa scicular groups were displayed and the human-computer in teraction was realized by performin g the arbitrary rotation and the rand om cross-section.By selecting the int erested object,the spatial structu re of any fascicular group could be di splayed in the same space simultaneously.Compare d with the result of microanatomy,th e 3D shape could truly reflect the str ucture,adjacent relationship and arrangem ent of fascicular groups in the ulnar nerve trunk.Conclusions Since the re-constructive 3D images can truly reflect the arrangement and distribution of the functional fascicular grou ps,they will have positive effects on understanding the internal structure of ulnar nerve,designing operative procedur e and adjusting operative method for surgeons.[