X. Visualization and assessment as the basis of scientific work Number: 47 3D measurement of volumetric body changes using 3D scanning: the origins and the development of this technology in the last two decades

Introduction/Background: 3D measurement and analysis can be fundamental tools for the diagnosis and treatment planning of lymphedema and lipoedema. Non-invasive clinical measurements used so far include methods based on water displacement, perometry and multi-frequency bioimpedance. Comparative evaluation of these volume measurement methods has established that the use of a tape measure is effective, but the sensitivity leads to some uncertainty. Using computed tomography exposes patients to radiation, and a relatively lower level of diagnostic and prognostic precision makes it not an ideal first-line option. Ongoing research in the field continues to introduce new imaging modalities that are safe, reliable, and cost-effective. Materials and methods: 3D imaging technology in recent years has allowed the application of surface anthropometry to the entire human body for assessing body shape and detecting changes over time. The new 3D scanning systems for detection and measurement have also been appropriately used for 3D body volumetric analysis of patients affected by these pathologies. Results: 3D measurement allows obtaining a great wealth of objective data and significantly improves diagnostic and therapeutic evaluations. The variations in surfaces during and after treatments can be analyzed using 3D-colored maps of distances, thus proving useful in monitoring therapies. The photorealistic texture of skin surfaces is also very useful to verify, for example, the presence of ecchymosis. The implementation of these Rx-Free methods, which are very precise, reliable, and non-operator-dependent, has enabled obtaining the 3D volumetric analysis of the whole body. Conclusions: The use of revolutionary portable and lowcost whole-body 3D surface/photogrammetric scanners allows monitoring multiple areas of interest without the need to scan each anatomical district of interest individually. In summary, 3D scanning is an extremely promising methodology for the assessment and monitoring of lymphedema and lipoedema, providing valuable data to medical professionals, and improving patient comfort and care.