3-D Modeling by computer simulation of the evolution of normal, metaplastic and dysplastic stages of the nasal epithelium

Static and dynamic 3-D modeling and visualization of the normal and pathological architecture of the nasal epithelium have been achieved. Positions, sizes, shapes and orientations of the nuclei as well as the basal lamina and the lumen have been used for the 3-D representation of the epithelium. Static modeling, based on an expert system to estimate model parameters, has first been applied to simulate the normal, metaplasic and dysplasic stages of the nasal epithelium. Dynamic modeling, starting from a static representation of a normal or a pathological stage, uses the starting values of the cell proliferation parameters and simulates a tissue growth process.