The Reliability of 3-Dimensional Scanner in Plastic Surgery

ABSTRACT

The accurate measurement is essential in evaluating the patients in the aesthetic plastic surgery. So many plastic surgeons would have increased the accuracy of photograph. But the results of the efforts are not satisfactory. Now, we can use the 3-D scanner possibly. We want to investigate the reliability of the 3-D scanner by comparing real measurements with the 3-D scanner measurements. Between Apr, 2003 and Nov, 2005, the Korean agency for technology and standards(ATS) investigates the size of 15,576 Korean by real measurements and 5,186 Korean by the 3-D scanner measurements. We selected the measurements of female aged from 20 to 24. These measurements divide into the sections of height, width, thickness, circumference, and compared in each sections. The statistical analysis was performed by STATA 9.0. If the datum points were fixed, unstable and the data was easily measured by the measuring devices such as height, the 3-D scanner measurements were almost coincident with the real measurements. The p-value was statistically not significant. Otherwise, If the datum points were unfixed and the data was measured by a measuring tape, the 3-D scanner measurements were not coincident with the real measurements. The p-value was statistically significant. According to these results, the height can be measured by the 3-D scanner instead of real measurements. But the circumference, thickness and width by the 3-D scanner is almost incompatible with that of the real measurements. The new paradigm of anthropometry is needed.