CT Requirements

To ensure accurate 3D reconstruction and surgical planning, the CT dataset should meet the following criteria:

• Imaging modality
  • Medical CT scan is required for 3D modeling.
  • Cone Beam CT (CBCT) is not recommended, as it may introduce geometric distortions and reduce modeling accuracy.
• Slice thickness and resolution
  • Slice thickness should be below 1 mm.
  • Preferred: 0.6–0.8 mm (in larger animals) or lower (0.3-0.6 mm, in smaller animals) to capture fine anatomical details.
  • Slice spacing should be consistent throughout the dataset, and it also should be equal to or smaller than the slice thickness to avoid gaps in the dataset.
  • Ideally, the scan should have near-isotropic voxels to ensure accurate 3D reconstruction.
• Reconstruction parameters
  • A bone kernel reconstruction series is required to provide optimal contrast between bone and surrounding soft tissues.
  • Matrix size should ideally be 512 × 512 for adequate in-plane resolution.
  • Images should be reconstructed from true axial slices using the original CT acquisition.
  • The CT scan should be acquired without gantry tilt to ensure accurate geometric reconstruction.
• Imaging series
  • A native (non-contrast) CT series is mandatory.
  • Contrast-enhanced CT may be included as a supplementary series.
  • MRI imaging can also be submitted when available, particularly for cases involving soft tissues, tumors, or neurological structures.
• Anatomical coverage
  • The scan should include the entire anatomical region of interest, preferably with some margin above and below the target structure.
  • The field of view (FOV) should be limited to the anatomical region of interest to maintain optimal spatial resolution.
• Image quality
  • Images should be free from significant motion artifacts.
  • If metal implants are present, metal artifact reduction protocols are recommended.
• Data format
  • The complete original DICOM dataset must be provided.
  • The dataset should contain a complete, continuous image series with no missing slices.
  • Screenshots, JPEG images, X-rays or processed images cannot be used for reconstruction.
  • Export the original thin-slice reconstruction series (≤1 mm). Thick-slice reconstructions are not suitable for 3D modeling, thus export the dataset exactly as acquired by the CT scanner, without resampling, compression, or secondary reconstructions.
  • Compress the entire DICOM folder into a single .ZIP or .RAR file before sharing with us. This prevents file corruption and ensures all slices remain in the correct order.
• Timing of imaging
  • Preferably, the CT scan should be recent to ensure the anatomy reflects the current clinical situation.