Handheld device allows for accurate 3D facial surface imaging

The Artec Eva handheld, professional surface scanning device may be used to accurately conduct 3D facial imaging, according to a recent study.

“The 3D surfaces captured by Artec Eva showed a similarly desirable accuracy for facial imaging as Vectra XT reference images. This handheld device presents a suitable option for the objective documentation during rhinoplasty surgery,” said researchers. The Sense 3D consumer device, however, falls short of this standard.

On a commercially available mannequin head, the Artec Eva handheld scanner performed comparably to the standard Vectra system on root-mean-square error (RMSE) analysis (p=0.282). The Sense 3D device, on the other hand, showed significantly higher whole facial deviations relative to reference imaging system (p<0.0001). [J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2020;73:141-148]

Surface-to-surface comparisons showed that for both test devices, mean deviations at all aesthetic units never exceeded 1.0 mm RMSE. Such deviations, however, generally tended to be greater in magnitude for the Sense 3D device than the Artec Eva model.

Accuracy of the mobile scanners was also evaluated in 30 volunteers (aged 20–57 years; 50 percent female). Self-comparative 3D surface imaging showed that both the Artec Eva and Sense 3D systems returned readings that were significantly different from the Vectra reference system. Repetition errors were significantly smaller with the Artec Eva device (p<0.001), while whole facial deviations were greater with Sense 3D (p<0.001).

In the volunteer test, both handheld devices remained below the 1.0-mm RMSE threshold at all aesthetic subunits and for the whole face. Mean deviations for the Artec Eva system were also kept below 0.5 mm RMSE at all regions but one (eye region: 0.673±0.219 mm RMSE). In the Sense 3D scanner, all but three subunits had mean deviations above 0.5 mm RMSE.

Researchers then evaluated the performance of the handheld devices in patients undergoing rhinoplasty. In both cases, intraoperative images were acquired in a supine position and were compared to preoperatively obtained scans by the reference Vectra system. Mean imaging duration was 25.3±5 seconds.

At the nose region, the scans obtained by the Artec Eva during the procedure showed a surface deviation of 0.438±0.096 mm RMSE relative to Vectra images. The Sense 3D device performed worse, with an average deviation of 0.972±0.265 mm RMSE.

“A potential future clinical relevance of scanners could be demonstrated by their novel intraoperative use,” said the researchers. “This method can offer a reliable preoperative overlay or 3D simulation on the surgical field as a further step towards objective documentation or assisted decision making.”

“Further studies are required to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of the device and the intraoperative qualities regarding objectiveness of 3D surface imaging when compared against subjective surgeon’s reported assessments,” they added. “Future intraoperative application also has to be critically compared to securely established methods aiding in rhinoplasty procedures, such as the use of intraoperative guides.”