Accuracy and reproducibility of a 3-dimensional stereophotogrammetric imaging system.

PURPOSE: To test the accuracy and reproducibility of a 3-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetric imaging system for measuring the facial soft tissues of healthy subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-dimensional soft tissue facial landmarks were obtained from the faces of 10 adult subjects, by use of a 3D stereophotogrammetric imaging system (Vectra; Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, NJ). Sixteen linear measurements were computed. Systematic and random errors between operators, calibration steps, and acquisitions were calculated.

RESULTS: No systematic errors were found for all performed tests (P > .05, paired t test). The method was repeatable, and random errors were always lower than 1 mm, except for the distance from cheilion to cheilion. Repeated sets of acquisition showed random errors up to 0.91 mm, without systematic biases.

CONCLUSION: The 3D stereophotogrammetric imaging system can assess the coordinates of facial landmarks with good precision and reproducibility. The method is fast and can obtain facial measurements with few errors.