ABSTRACT
In its conventional planar (two-dimensional) format, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides an accurate and reliable form of non-invasive assessment of in vivo anatomical and selected physiological processes, and is now widely regarded as the ‘gold standard’ method for soft-tissue evaluation. More recent advances in MR-based 3-D reconstructive imaging continue to suggest a potential alternative to conventional diagnostic approaches. Preliminary research in this area has suggested that 3-D applications of MR imaging may represent the progression of non-invasive in vivo assessment to a new plateau of clinical efficacy. Preliminary investigations performed in a controlled pre-clinical setting suggest that, using the MR-based model, 3-D reconstructed images provide an accurate reflection of true anatomical structural presentation. The findings of the investigations provide evidence to suggest a role for such applications in Contemporary medical practice, with the potential for considerable clinical benefit, positively influencing both pure diagnosis and patient management while also providing time, cost, and resource efficiency.
