3D Scanning Used for Brain Tumor Removal

October 22, 2018

We need our best for the fight using 3D scanning

If you were to do a 3D scan of Dr. Darin Okuda’s head, you would not find much space between his ears, if you know what I mean. He is a smart guy! Thankfully, he has put that brain to good use by working in the medical field to help people deal with serious issues like brain tumors.  One of the research projects Okuda is working on is a way to use 3D scanning services to help people get rid of brain tumors. Brain surgery is serious business. If you are getting surgery done on your hand and the doctor cut a little too far to the left or the right it’s not a life threatening issue. The brain, on the other hand is not that simple. Brain surgeries don’t allow any room for error. Therefore, when a person needs to have a brain tumor removed, we need the best technology, skill, and precision as possible.

Precision is the key

So how is Dr. Okuda using 3D scanning services to improve brain surgeries? He is using it to help surgeons get a better idea of the shape of the tumors. When it comes to removing a tumor, doctors need to know the exact places to cut.  A little mistake can lead to brain damage forever. With older 2D scanning methods, the exact shape and dimensions of the tumor were not very certain. 3D scanning, on the other hand, gives an exact picture of what is going on in there, and surgeons know right where to cut.  This way, there is much less chance of cutting an artery or something else that may lead to permanent damage.

Here is the Game plan

So what doctors can do with Okuda’s idea is scan the brain with the tumor, and then print out an exact replica of the growth that needs to be removed.  This way the doctor will have already analyzed the shape and size of the growth before the operation begins. And another benefit from using 3D scanning services on brain tumors, is that it allows doctors and scientists the ability to analyze different types of tumors.  They can scan and print out replicas of different types of tumors to better understand the shapes. Being able to identify shapes of tumors helps with detecting tumors in other patients. Because of Okuda’s research they have corrected some wrong ideas they had previously had about tumors. They have come to realize that some lesions in the brain are much more complex than previously thought when 2D images were used. Realizing that something is more complex than previously thought means that they are going to have to be that much more careful when putting a knife to someones scalp to do surgery. That is good knowledge to have since we are dealing with surgery on the brain.

For sure Okuda’s research is going to be a benefit to lots of people who suffer with brain tumors.  This is what technology, like 3D scanning, should be used for; for making things better, faster, cheaper, and keeping us healthy.

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