Three-dimensional sonographic reconstruction: techniques and diagnostic applications.

In this review, we summarize the techniques of obtaining and reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) sonograms in a number of anatomic areas, catalog the clinical efforts at 3D sonography so far, and introduce more recent work in this area that takes advantage of the unique features of sonography. Although it is an active area of 3D imaging research, cardiac 3D imaging is not discussed because it has unique requirements stemming from the heart's anatomic inaccessibility and motion. Image analysis and display also are not covered, as no clear consensus has been reached about the usefulness of the large number of available methods.