ABSTRACT
Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. 307 References ............................................................................................................. 307
X-ray beams used to generate two-dimensional (2D) projection images of the human body have been used since they were studied by Roentgen in 1895. Since 2D x-ray imaging provides only a projection image, complete information of an organ or pathology necessary to diagnose or treat pathology may not be available. In the early 1970s, the development of computed tomography (CT) revolutionized diagnostic radiology. The contiguous tomographic images generated by CT scanners could be assembled into three-dimensional (3D) images and viewed with the aid of computer visualization software. Three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and multislice and cone beam CT imaging have further stimulated the field of 3D medical imaging, stimulating the development of a wide variety of applications in diagnostic and interventional medicine.
