Accuracy of three software applications for breast volume calculations from 3D surface images

Background: For many breast surgery procedures, knowing breast volumes prior to surgery helps the surgeon to obtain breast symmetry. Calculating breast volumes from 3D surface images is possible with the aid of specialized software applications. However, limited data exists concerning the accuracy of such 3D surface based volume measurements. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of breast volume calculations performed with the 3D BreAST, 3dMD Vultus-, and VECTRA software. Methods: Patients who were scheduled for a uni- or bilateral simple mastectomy were included in this study. Preoperative 3D surface images were acquired with a VECTRA XT 3D stereophotogrammetry device. Breast volumes were calculated from the 3D surface images with the three software applications. During surgery, the mastectomy specimens were weighed to derive their actual volume for comparison with the software outcomes. Results: Twenty-six subjects who underwent 44 mastectomies were enrolled in this study. For all three methods, a positive correlation between the breast volume and absolute measurement error was found (p