Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ialah ketumbuhan luar biasa utama hepatocyte, di mana ia berkembang pada pesakit dengan faktor risiko seperti virus hepatitis, penyakit hati metabolik, dan sirosis yang disebabkan oleh penyalahgunaan alkohol. Kajian yang dilakukan oleh para penyelidik telah menunjukkan bahawa alat-alat bantuan perancangan pra-bedah membantu doktor dalam perancangan prosedur pembedahan untuk HCC di samping meningkatkan kadar kerjayaan pembedahan. Sebelum ini, perancangan pra-bedah dilakukan berdasarkan imej-imej yang diperolehi menggunakan peralatan-peralatan seperti Computer Tomography (CT), X-Ray, Ultrasound, dan Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Doktor perlu mengkaji imej-imej tersebut dan membayangkan model maya 3D menggunakan imajinasi. Proses ini memakan masa, dan variasi dalam anatomis ketumbuhan boleh menjejaskan keputusan strategi rawatan. Projek ini menumpu pada aplikasi teknologi realiti maya dalam perancangan pra-bedah HCC. Salah satu aplikasi realiti maya dalam perancangan pra-bedah adalah memaparkan model maya hati yang menyerupai hati pesakit. Process ini bermula dengan membaca sekumpulan imej 2D hati pesakit dan membentuk satu set data 2D. Teknik ekstraksi permukaan (algoritma kubus berbaris) dilakukan ke atas set data tersebut. Satu jaringan maya 3D yang terdiri daripada sekumpulan titik dibentuk. Titik-titik ini dipetakan kepada primitif grafik bersama dengan maklumat seperti warna, sumber cahaya, dan kedudukan kamera. Kawalan interaksi model 3D dilakukan dengan menggunakan peranti antaramuka perkakasan komputer seperti tetikus, papan kekunci, joystick atau peranti input pena. Peranti-peranti tersebut boleh digunakan untuk zoom, memusing, dan mengubah transparansi model hati maya 3D untuk penyemakan pembesaran abnormal atau bonjolan pada hati pesakit serta lokasi tumor.
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Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the hepatocyte, which develops in patients with risk factors such as viral hepatitis, metabolic liver disease, and cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse. Studies done by researchers have shown that pre-surgical planning tools aid surgeons in planning surgery procedures for HCC as well as increasing post-surgery survival rate. Previously, pre-surgical planning was done based on medical images acquired using medical imaging devices such as Computed Tomography (CT), X-Ray, Ultrasound, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Surgeons will need to examine the medical images carefully, and picturing a 3D liver model using imagination. This process is very time consuming, and anatomical variations of tumours might lead to suboptimal treatment strategy decision. This project focuses on the application of virtual reality technology in HCC pre-surgical planning. One of many deployments of virtual reality in pre-surgical planning is to display a virtual 3D liver model which resembles patient’s liver. The process starts by reading segmented 2D axial slices of patient’s liver as input and forms a three dimensional dataset. Surface extraction technique (Marching Cubes algorithm) is performed to extract the isosurface of the dataset. The product of surface extraction is a virtual 3D mesh, which is consisted of a group of points recorded in their respective three dimensional coordinates. These points are mapped to graphic primitives by graphic renderer, together with information such as colours, light sources, and camera views. Interaction control with the 3D model is done by using computer hardware interface devices such as mouse, keyboard, joystick or pen input devices. These devices can be used to zoom, rotate, and control the transparency of the virtual 3D liver model to inspect any abnormal enlargement or lump on patient’s liver, as well as the location of the malignancy.