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BACKGROUND: Tape measures continue to be used for the diagnosis and evaluation of lipoedema and lymphoedema in the clinical routine. Extremity volumes are calculated based on standardised circumferential measurements. Other volume measurements such as water displacement are not applied on a regular basis. This study aimed to evaluate a 3D scanner as an alternative and reproducible tool to objectively measure the volumes of the lower extremity. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHOD: We used a commercially available 3D scanner, the Artec Eva(®), to perform 3D scans of the lower extremities on 20 subjects and calculated the volume using the appropriate software. In addition, limb volume was determined with standardised methods using the circumferential method (cone method and disc method) and the water displacement technique. The results and the time taken to perform the three measurement methods were documented and statistically evaluated. RESULTS: There were no significant deviations between the results from 3D volumetry and water displacement (p > 0.05). The cone method significantly overestimated the volume measured by water displacement and 3D volumetry. The disc method revealed no statistically significant differences, but clinically relevant differences with a high variance in the 95 % confidence interval. All methods demonstrated high positive correlations with each other. Water displacement was the most timeconsuming method. CONCLUSION: Our findings obtained from the examination of 40 lower extremities show that 3D scans and software-based volumetric calculations can achieve objective and reproducible measurements in a relatively short time. The deviation from the gold-standard method of water displacement is small. Compared with the cone and disc method, however, we observed clinically relevant deviations with a high variance. We therefore recommend the 3D scan procedure for the objective documentation of conservative and surgical treatments for lipoedema or lymphoedema and have incorporated it into our clinical routine.
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Whole-body three-dimensional surface imaging (3DSI) offers the ability to monitor morphologic changes in multiple areas without the need to individually scan every anatomical region of interest. One area of application is the digital quantification of leg volume. Certain types of morphology do not permit complete circumferential scan of the leg surface. A workflow capable of precisely estimating the missing data is therefore required. We thus aimed to describe and apply a novel workflow to collect bilateral leg volume measurements from whole-body 3D surface scans regardless of leg morphology and to assess workflow precision. For each study participant, whole-body 3DSI was conducted twice successively in a single session with subject repositioning between scans. Paired samples of bilateral leg volume were calculated from the 3D surface data, with workflow variations for complete and limited leg surface visibility. Workflow precision was assessed by calculating the relative percent differences between repeated leg volumes. A total of 82 subjects were included in this study. The mean relative differences between paired left and right leg volumes were 0.73 ± 0.62% and 0.82 ± 0.65%. The workflow variations for completely and partially visible leg surfaces yielded similarly low values. The workflow examined in this study provides a precise method to digitally monitor leg volume regardless of leg morphology. It could aid in objectively comparing medical treatment options of the leg in a clinical setting. Whole-body scans acquired using the described 3DSI routine may allow simultaneous assessment of other changes in body morphology after further validation.
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Background/Objectives: Lipedema is a chronic disorder characterized by disproportionate fat accumulation in the extremities, causing pain, bruising, and reduced mobility. When conservative therapy fails, liposuction is considered an effective treatment option. Prior studies often relied on subjective or non-standardized measures, limiting precision. This study aimed to objectively assess volumetric changes after liposuction in stage III lipedema using high-resolution 3D imaging to quantify postoperative changes in circumference and volume, providing individualized yet standardized outcome measures aligned with precision medicine. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 66 patients who underwent 161 water-assisted liposuctions (WALs). Pre- and postoperative measurements were performed with the VECTRA© WB360 system, allowing reproducible, anatomically specific quantification of limb volumes and circumferences. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital complications. Results: Liposuction achieved significant reductions in all treated regions, most pronounced in the proximal thigh and upper arm. Thigh volume decreased by 4.10–9.25% (q < 0.001), while upper arm volume decreased by 15.63% (left) and 20.15% (right) (q = 0.001). Circumference decreased by up to 5.2% in the thigh (q < 0.001) and 12.27% (q = 0.001) in the upper arm. All changes were calculated relative to baseline values, allowing personalized interpretation of treatment effects. Conclusions: This is the first study to objectively quantify postoperative lipedema changes using whole-body 3D surface imaging. By capturing each patient’s contours pre- and postoperatively, this approach enables individualized evaluation while permitting standardized comparison across patients. It offers a precise understanding of surgical outcomes and supports integration of precision medicine principles in lipedema surgery.
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