Technology
Anatomage Technology
Established in 2004, Anatomage is a leader in medical visualization technology. For over two decades, we have continuously refined our technologies, achieving beyond industry standards in volumetric visualization, 3D image segmentation, and functional simulation. Our decades-long commitment to innovation is evident in our Anatomage Bodies, the most advanced reconstructions of real human bodies.
Data Acquisition
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Anatomage Bodies are accurate digital reconstructions of real human bodies. These bodies were donated for medical education purposes. Prior to freezing, the cadavers were preserved in a specialized solution to maintain their structural integrity throughout the digitization process.
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The bodies underwent CT and MRI scanning. They were then progressively milled at intervals as small as 40 microns -- equivalent to the thickness of a strand of human hair. This milling was performed in freezing conditions to maintain the authenticity of the cross-sections.
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The exposed cross-sections underwent meticulous cleaning and preparation procedures before being photographed.
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These slicing and photograph processes were repeated thousands of times for each body to generate the full-scale anatomy, cross-section images.
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Once the cadaver was completely photographed, its anatomical data went through an image processing pipeline. This included digital resampling and scaling of the data, background elimination, precise alignment, color adjustment, and filtering to eliminate artifacts related to the cutting process and lighting errors.
3D Anatomical Visualization
Over the past 20 years, Anatomage has developed advanced volumetric imaging software. We’ve created a unique rendering system that accurately transforms 2D cross-sectional images into interactive 3D visualizations.
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Our team of experienced anatomy modelers and technicians excels at transforming flat cross-sectional images into dynamic 3D anatomical models. This process combines automatic detection and recognition of general structures with thorough, manual tracing for details and accuracy.
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To ensure authenticity, branch nodes—where arteries, veins, or nerves divide—are individually adjusted to match the unique vessel diameters and anatomical landmarks of each cadaver. Finally, we combine the 3D anatomical models and branch tracings together and align with the cadaver’s volume data. This allows the software to extract the real color from the cadaver’s slices and apply them to the surface details of our anatomical models. The result is an Anatomage Body that accurately resembles the cadaver’s unique color, shape, and details.
Segmentation
Medical image segmentation presents a significant challenge in medical research. There’s no universal methodology for precisely identifying the pixels corresponding to an organ across all scenarios. Each patient case is unique, with its own pathology, anatomical structures, and image types. Consequently, each requires a distinct segmentation technique and approach.
20-Year Technology
Our rich history of segmenting anatomical structures can be traced back to 2004. Since then, Anatomage has segmented more than 2 million anatomical structures from 3D volumetric images. Over the years, we have established our unique infrastructure, which consists of our software tools and systems that allow for the most accurate and efficient 3D segmentation process.
Complete Anatomical Maps
Anatomage is the only company that provides comprehensive real human anatomical maps. We successfully construct accurate anatomical structures from sequences of 2D images. The Anatomage Bodies exhibit the same level of anatomical accuracy as the individual whose body was donated to science. Each Anatomage Body faithfully represents the exact size, shape, and colors of the individual as they were at the moment their body was initially preserved and dissected.
Vascular System Tracing
Anatomage’s segmentation system excels in capturing the clinical accuracy of real human vascular connections. All artery, vein, and nerve structures are intricately traced and fully connected, meticulously mapped from tiny points in the sliced images. Through our advanced segmentation system, we successfully present complete graphical connectivity that represents real vascular flow within the Anatomage Bodies.
Physiology Simulation
Anatomage is advancing beyond creating precise anatomical maps by incorporating responsive functions into our cadavers. The introduction of simulated heart motion, kinetic movements, neural pathways, pregnancy and other human body functions marks the beginning of this initiative.
High-Resolution Modeling of Deformable Soft Tissues.
Accurate simulation of deformable soft tissue is challenging. Our unique rendering engine accurately determines the properties of soft tissues. We then create a high-resolution 3D mesh representation from the anatomical data. These high-resolution visuals enable medical students and professionals to study deformable soft tissues accurately during various physiological processes.
Simulation of Real Tissues’ Physiological Behaviors.
Using our unique engines, we apply motions to these tissues to simulate real physiological processes, such as heart motion and muscle movement in kinesiology. With Anatomage, students and professionals can visualize how real tissues function during physiological processes in a real human body.