Since 1986 we used three dimensional CT for patients who possibly sustained fractures of the middle third of the facial skeleton.
For the cases accompanied with brain injury, we usually first obtain a 5 rnm thick slice brain area CT, and then the middle third of the facial skeleton area CT with slice thickness of 1. 5mm.
Until now only skilled surgeon could correctly visualize the fracture of the middle third of the facial skeleton which was composed of complicated thin bones, but with the 3D-CT image, every surgeon can visualize the fracture easily. Especially, the cut view method permits correct detection of the fracture of the skull base.
Thus we could visualize fractures of the middle third of the facial skeleton preoperatively and could make the operative plan correctly and get good results.
3D-CT imaging program was very useful for treating the middle third of the facial skeleton.
