Movies have it made in terms of modern equipment, especially with sci-fi movies or computer generated images that help build characters from top to bottom. But thanks to that technology, modern medicine now has the hand it needs to build real life characters' faces for human face transplants.

According to a new study on human face transplantation, led by Darren M. Smith, M.D., plastic surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, combining conventional medical imaging with the same 3-D modeling techniques that Hollywood blockbusters used can help those with serious facial injuries.

Face transplants are an extremely difficult by traditional surgical techniques. During such a sensitive operation, facial tissue from a donor is transferred to reconstruct the defect in an attempt to restore essential life-sustaining functions such as breathing, chewing, and speaking, as well as human appearance.

Medical imaging plays an essential role to make face transplantation successful. It is key for a number of things: patient selection, donor, and recipient surgical planning, as well as postoperative assessment of returning motor and sensory function.

Currently though, to prepare for facial transplantation, plastic or plaster models are created based on 3-D CT or angiographic images, this is then used for mock dissections to allow surgeons to plan on how to tackle the challenge.

But with high-definition tractography to create a 3-D model of a patient's head and neck anatomy, the same type of modeling technology often used in movies to animate C.G. characters, surgeons now have a better way of planning.

The researchers said that by combining information from multiple imaging exams and creating a sophisticated 3-D computer model, surgeons are better able to assess the facial structure, contours, underlying bone, muscles, nerves, and vessels, as well as the extent of the damage of patients.

With this sort of technology, Smith said that better face models can be created thus allowing the surgical team to participate in planning how to do things. In addition, it also helps evaluate the outcomes of reconstructive transplantation.

In an ABC News interview with Dallas Wiens, United States' first full face transplant recipient by conventional means, face transplantation was explained.

Weins said that he was regaining back his senses in his face as he was able to feel the kiss of his daughter. Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, Weins' doctor, explained that the functions as well as movement do come back to the recipient of the transplant in due time.