Application of nasal profile estimation methods for Korean population.

Abstract

The nose is an important facial feature that affects facial reconstruction quality and its recognition. We reviewed a selection of papers that researched the nose with regression analysis and applied their regression formulae to our sample to compare the estimated value and measurements. One-hundred computed tomography (CT) scans of Korean adults were selected for this study. The subjects were patients without head trauma, severe deformities, or asymmetry at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Three dimensional (3D) models of the cranium and face were remodelled and measured by Mimics 14.1 (Leuven, Belgium, Materialise). A measurement system for 3D models that referred to landmarks from previous studies was used to facilitate the comparison process. Estimation formulae were applied to the subjects and compared with the measurement results of this study's population. Corresponding measurements showed that the measurements were statistically significantly different from estimated values obtained with regression formulae. A difference in the results was expected because of the different sample population, but the age of subjects could also impact the results and cause variability. Therefore, the results of this study emphasise the necessity of basal research for a specific target population.