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3D Printing Used as New Tool for Radiologists

Posted in 3D Printing for Medical Application, Bioengineering & reverse engineering design, Materials Science & Engineering, tagged 3D modelling, 3D printer, Anatomy, Patient care, Radiology, Surgery tool on December 23, 2019| Leave a Comment »

3D Printing Used as New Tool for Radiologists

Reporter: Irina Robu, PhD

3D printing is a technique that has gained immense popularity for its ability to create 3D structures in art, jewelry, engineering, medicine. In this case, radiologists use 3D printing to transform a 2D scan into 3D visualization of a patient’s anatomy. Radiologists use their unique skills to visualize the anatomy of the organs of interest which give them a large advantage in communicating with patients as well as surgical teams.

The 3D printed anatomical models have proved valuable in providing a better understanding of complex anatomies and being used as a tangible aid for pre-surgical planning. It gives the patient a clear understanding of what is happening and it provides a great value when it comes to patient specific care. However, 3D modelling is essential at the beginning but it can also be a useful tool for surgeons. The list of medical 3D printing benefits is infinite. Just recently, a scientific team at University of Minnesota constructed their own patient specific 3D organ model based on MRI scans and prostate tissue samples of patients. The organs allow surgeons to plan and rehearse surgery.
In addition to researchers at University of Minnesota, Siemens Health engineers also created a platform to make medical apps that can be accessible throughout hospitals. In addition, Siemens Health partnered up with Materialise to make 3D printing software an integral part of the radiology workflow.

Hence, using 3D bioprinting is a desirable path to follow for radiologist. Not only they get to interpret anatomy, but now they can use 3D bioprinting as a state of the art tool that empower them to provide immense value to an audience that stretches from patient to practitioner.

SOURCE

https://www.bioportfolio.com/news/article/4177601/3D-Printing-Used-as-New-Tool-for-Radiologists.html

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3D-Printed Body Parts Could Replace Cadavers for Medical Training

Posted in 3D Printing for Medical Application, Medical Imaging Technology, tagged 3D printer, Anatomy, Cadavers, medical education, Medical research on October 4, 2017| Leave a Comment »

3D-printed body parts could replace cadavers for medical training

Reporter: Irina Robu, PhD

Even though, the 3-D printing based tissue modeling is still in early phases it is considered a promising approach for anatomy training. Models that are produced on a computer screen can be reproduced as tangible objects that students can examine and even dissect. According to a recent report in Medical Science Educator, the latest advancement in 3D printing can revolutionize how anatomy students learn.

For now, human cadavers have been the norm for studying human anatomy but they come with financial and logistical concerns both on storage and disposal. However, with the advancement of custom designed 3D organs, made possible by using 3D printing the need to keep large collection of physical models are reduced. With just a 3D printer, a digital model of the organ needed to study can be reproduced either with resin, thermoplastics, photopolymers and other material. Different materials can be used to allow construction of complex models with hard, soft, opaque and transparent conditions. The printed body parts will look exactly the same as the real thing because they are falsely colored to help students distinguish between the different parts of the anatomy including ligaments, muscles and blood vessels. Medical schools and hospitals around the world would be able to buy just an arm or a foot or the entire body depending on their training need.

Furthermore, to customizing anatomy lessons, 3D printed models can be used for teaching pathology/radiology by comparing CT images of the organs to their 3D-printed counterparts which students can examine and understand. Yet, the methods of 3D printing vary by materials used, resolution accuracy, long term stability, cost, speed and more. The printer cost is still a concern at this point partly because 3D bioprinters cost thousands of dollars nonetheless the cost is dropping due to the introduction of innovative printing materials.

Therefore, in order for 3-D printing to become more widely used, costs must be reduced while resolution must continue to improve. Instructors can potentially print one model per student in a material of their choosing that can be dissected. And no matter how much medical science moves with the times, there would always be the requisite skeleton model in the corner of most anatomy rooms.

SOURCE

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-22/an-3d-body-parts-could-replace-cadavers-for-medical-training/5615210

Additional Resources

Medical Science Educator, June 2015, Volume 25, Issue 2, pp 183–194| Cite as

Anatomical Models: a Digital Revolution