Comprehension of human skull growth requires computer visualization--too many growth factors exist for the mind's eye to picture. The proposed effort produces a prototype software tool which utilizes the three dimensional (3-D) skull description provided by computer tomography (CT) to predict and to visualize skull growth. This project extends the use of CT data beyond straight geometrical description to geometrical metamorphosis. Phase I is a feasibility study focusing on the growth of one skull bone, establishing a visualization method and developing the software. Software exists for growth forecasting two-dimensional (2-D) skull diagrams, but not for 3-D. This is curious, given the advanced state of computer graphics and the availability of moderately priced graphics workstations. This research intends to correct this omission and provide a tool that can be used by denists, plastic surgeons, medical students, pathologists, anthropologists, paleontologists and forensic physicians to see the effects of age on a specific individual's skull.
