How Does Computer Imaging Work?

Photography has been an integral part of every plastic surgeons practice for many years. In the past, photographs have been used for doctors primarily for documentation purposes only. However with the advances made in computer technology, computer imaging has risen to the forefront as the premier tool to evaluate a patient's needs and potential outcome of a particular cosmetic procedure(s).

The recent progress in the field of digital photography and image treatment software has revolutionized what can be done in the plastic surgery industry. Computer imaging works by taking a client's photograph with the appropriate perspective and dimensions, and then scanning in the picture(s) onto the computer to be projected on the computer screen. Utilizing computer-imaging software, plastic surgeons can show patients a range of possible outcomes after plastic surgery.

With the patient's picture displayed, the surgeon can target the areas that the patient desires to change. For instance, the nasal profile can be changed to illustrate removal of a bump and raising the tip. Or the changes in the hips, inner thighs, outer thighs and knees can be demonstrated for liposuction of these areas. The images can then be seen in from different viewpoints to help visualize the before and after effect. Furthermore, some of these programs allow demonstration of the incisions, underlying anatomy, or the detailed aspects of the technique to further educate you about the procedure.

Generally, the computer-imaging program will not show you what you will exactly look like. Rather, it gives the patient a chance to see how changing one thing will affect another. The software alters the images, but the doctor has to tell it what to do. For example, adding a small chin implant can make a large nose appear smaller, and removing fat from the outer thigh can make the waist look wider. Also, creating plausible pictures therefore requires expert knowledge of facial structure and the limitations of possible operations. For instance, if you have a small chin and the surgeon extends it to show you what you would look like with a bigger one, the surgeon must know the right implant to use (i.e. one that won't distort the skin next to your chin). The surgeon using the program must know if the operation will work technically.

However, like any technology, there is tremendous potential for abuse. The most frequent being the use of computerized alterations in the patient's image for the purposes of selling an operation. By manipulating people's features on computer images, doctors can help patients envision the results of cosmetic surgery. But what if the surgical results differ from those on the screen, it is often too easy to create a deceptively optimistic result. Flaws can be completely erased with little regard for what is realistically possible through surgical techniques.