Virtual Arthroscopic QuickTime and QuickTime VR Movies of Visible Human Temporomandibular Joint

The porpose of this study was to make a simulation of performing arthroscopy of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) using two kinds of movies of computed arthroscopic simulation (virtual arthroscopy). One movie using QuickTime (QT) was made for navigating throuth the joint space. The other one using QuickTime ＶＲ (QTVR) was for interactive observation of the space. Volume-rendering the TMJ from the cryosections of Visible Human female on the Internet and ”fly-through″ into the simulated TMJ were conducted with the three dimensional visualization software of Analizeavw on the Silicon Graphics O2 workstation. Virtual　arthroscopic images obtained by ”fly-through″ simulation were combined to make a QT movie and QTVR movies on the Macintosh computer. The QT movie was similar to the video of joint space made during real TMJ arthroscopy. The QTVR movies mimicked the performance of the soft tissues by panning and zooming on the monitor. These result indicated that virtual arthroscopic QT and QTVR movies would be a new diagnostic procedure to dipict TMJ pathology.

arthroscopy

computer simulation

QuickTime movie

QuickTime VR movie

temporomandibular joint