A role for ultra‐high resolution three‐dimensional printed human heart models

Abstract

Introduction Echocardiography is essential for diagnosing and assessing the severity of perioperative structural and functional heart disease. Yet, educational opportunities to better understand echocardiography‐based cardiac anatomy remain limited by the two‐dimensional display, lack of anatomic details, variability of heart models, and costs and global access of training. Methods We performed micro computed tomography of human heart specimens not suitable for orthotopic transplantation. We created high‐resolution computational 3D models of different human hearts, sliced them in the different recommended American Society of Echocardiography views, and 3D printed them using different materials. Results We scanned, 3D modeled, and 3D printed a variety of human hearts both healthy and diseased. We have made the models available in the cardiac operating rooms and routinely use them for teaching anesthesia residents and cardiothoracic anesthesia fellows about basic and advanced echocardiographic views, cardiopulmonary bypass cannulation strategies, and valvular pathology and planned interventions. Conclusion We have generated a library of 3D printed hearts to display the recommended echocardiographic views as a unique educational tool designed to safely accelerate the understanding of absolute and relative human cardiac anatomy and pathology, especially related to gaining advanced appreciation of clinically employed perioperative echocardiography.

Cardiovascular Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease: Beyond Lumen Assessment

“…Regarding the use of 3D-printed heart and vascular models in anatomy education, the most commonly used imaging modalities are CT or MRI for the generation of 3D-printed models. In a recent study, Arango et al reported the feasibility of creating ultra-highresolution 3D-printed heart models using micro-CT [103]. They scanned perfusion-fixed heart specimens using 0.1 mm resolution micro-CT scanning, with the images being postprocessed and segmented for 3D printing.…”