From Improved Diagnostics to Presurgical Planning: High-Resolution Functionally Graded Multimaterial 3D Printing of Biomedical Tomographic Data Sets

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies are increasingly used to convert medical imaging studies into tangible (physical) models of individual patient anatomy, allowing physicians, scientists, and patients an unprecedented level of interaction with medical data. To date, virtually all 3D-printable medical data sets are created using traditional image thresholding, subsequent isosurface extraction, and the generation of .stl surface mesh file formats. These existing methods, however, are highly prone to segmentation artifacts that either overor underexaggerate the features of interest, thus resulting in anatomically inaccurate 3D prints. In addition, they often omit finer detailed structures and require time-and labor-intensive processes to visually verify their accuracy. To circumvent these problems, we present a bitmap-based multimaterial 3D printing workflow for the rapid and highly accurate generation of physical models directly from volumetric data stacks. This workflow employs a thresholding-free approach that bypasses both isosurface creation and traditional mesh slicing algorithms, hence significantly improving speed and accuracy of model creation. In addition, using preprocessed binary bitmap slices as input to multimaterial 3D printers allows for the physical rendering of functional gradients native to volumetric data sets, such as stiffness and opacity, opening the door for the production of biomechanically accurate models.

Three-Dimensional Printing Constructs Based on the Chitosan for Tissue Regeneration: State of the Art, Developing Directions and Prospect Trends

“…For this reason, it might be reasonably effortless to obtain regulatory approval in the long term [197]. Multi-material 3D printing for the rapid and highly accurate generation of physical models directly from volumetric data stacks, developed recently, is another promising method [198,199].…”

3D printing of multi-scalable structures via high penetration near-infrared photopolymerization

“…Manufacturing technologies are always concerned by human beings for characteristics of fast speed and flexibility, and the progress in civilization on technology is always accompanied with applying of methodologies and materials 1 – 4 . Lately, 3D printing has quickly grown and attracted a significant amount of attentions in biomedicals 5 , origami 6 , data matter 7 , microfluids 8 , microelectronics 9 , 10 , etc. Direct ink writing (DIW), as an extrusion-based 3D printing (3DP), can incessantly stack inks, thus fabricating objects rapidly and freely 1 , 11 , which is similar to the paintbrush of Ma Liang.…”

Manufacturing and Characterization of Hybrid Bulk Voxelated Biomaterials Printed by Digital Anatomy 3D Printing

“…The advent of additive manufacturing technology and the improved medical imaging techniques, such as high-resolution CT and MRI scanning, enables the translation of digital images on the computer screens into tangible objects [1,2]. In the biomedical engineering field, additive manufacturing technology can be used for various applications, such as tissue and organ fabrication [3], implant and prostheses production [4], drug delivery [5], and production of anatomical structures [6].…”