Evaluation of Stomach Neoplasms With 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography: Focus on the Potential Role of Cinematic Rendering.

Evaluation of stomach neoplasms by traditional 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography methods such as volume rendering and maximum-intensity projection plays an important role in lesion detection and characterization, preoperative planning, staging, and follow-up. Recently, a new 3D visualization method has become available known as cinematic rendering (CR). This novel technique makes use of a complex global lighting model to impart photorealistic levels of detail to 3D images. Although this new technique has yet to be systematically studied for the evaluation of stomach neoplasms, its intrinsic ability to create realistic shadowing effects to enhance understanding of the 3D relative locations of anatomic structures and to enhance detail and texture may prove valuable for a variety of applications. In this article, we demonstrate the CR appearance of multiple different gastric neoplasms, describe potential advantages of CR, and suggest future research directions.