Three-dimensional (3D) rendering is the process of creating two-dimensional (2D) images
that convey the 3D relationships of an object or objects. In the past 10 years, the
use of volume-rendering (VR) images has become a commonly used method of 3D display.
The improved data sets that result from spiral and multidetector computed tomography,
improved software, and more powerful workstations significantly improve radiologists'
ability to create these images. The process by which these images are obtained is
described. It is possible to simultaneously demonstrate the tendons and bones of the
ankle and hindfoot using VR because of significant attenuation differences among the
soft tissue, tendons, and bone: fat ∼-100, muscle ∼30, tendon ∼90, and bone ∼250 to
500 Hounsfield units. These 3D images can be helpful in the care of patients with
ankle/foot deformities resulting from trauma, idiopathic disorders, and arthritis.
These images present a global image that provides improved understanding of the relationships
of the bones and adjacent tendons.
KEYWORDS
Computed tomography - three-dimensional rendering - bone - tendon - ankle
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Robert H ChoplinM.D.
Department of Radiology, 0279, Indiana University
550 North University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202-5253
