Measurement Method of the Masseter Muscle Volume Using 3D Computed Tomography.

Baek, Jung Hwan; Choi, Jong Woo; Yoo, Sun Kuk; Kim, Yong Oock; Park, Beyoung Yun

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 2005;32(5):589-592.
Published online September 1, 2005.

Measurement Method of the Masseter Muscle Volume Using 3D Computed Tomography.

Jung Hwan Baek, Jong Woo Choi, Sun Kuk Yoo, Yong Oock Kim, Beyoung Yun Park

¹Institute of Human Tissue Restoration, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sgm625@ yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
³Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Since G.N. Hounsfield's clinical use of computed tomography in 1971, digital imaging technique using computers has shown an eye opening progress. Progress has made 3-dimensional understanding of not only facial bones but muscles and other connective tissues possible through 3-dimensional reconstruction of preexisting tomographical images. Also, quantitative analysis of density, distance, volume has become possible, allowing objective analysis of preoperative and postoperative states through imaging. The authors measured the masseter muscle volume of 20 normal individuals and 8 female patients through 3-D reconstructive CT imaging and made a statistical analysis of the measurements. The method used in our study may be applied to the diagnosis of disease causing the change of the facial volume and presurgical design as a useful tool to provide objective information on the evaluation of surgery outcome.

Keywords: Masseter muscle volume; 3D computed tomography