Development of an Ultrasound Phantom for Spinal Injections With 3-Dimensional Printing

West, Simeon J.; Mari, Jean-Martial; Khan, Aurangzeb; Wan, Jordan H. Y.; Zhu, Wenjie; Koutsakos, Ioannis G.; Rowe, Matthew; Kamming, Damon; Desjardins, Adrien E.

doi:10.1097/aap.0000000000000136

Cited by 34 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In terms of use in education and training, West et al developed a 3D‐printed spinal column for use as an ultrasound phantom model . This involved utilising a commercially available software program to recreate the 3D model based on patient CT scans, and then printing on a fused deposition modelling printer.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The application of three‐dimensional printing technology in anaesthesia: a systematic review

Chao

Coles‐Black

et al. 2017

Anaesthesia

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SummaryThree-dimensional printing has rapidly become an easily accessible, innovative and versatile technology, with a vast range of applications across a wide range of industries. There has been a recent emergence in the scientific literature relating to its potential application across a multitude of fields within medicine and surgery; however, its use within anaesthesia has yet to be formally explored. We undertook a systematic review using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases of three-dimensional printing in anaesthesia. We identified eight relevant articles. Due to the paucity of studies, we also completed a narrative review of the applications of three-dimensional printing pertinent to anaesthetic practice that our department are currently exploring, and suggest potential future uses for this technology relevant to our speciality.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar to West et al , we applied the technique of using CT images of human anatomy to print segments of thoracic and lumbar spines (Fig. a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The application of three‐dimensional printing technology in anaesthesia: a systematic review

Chao

Coles‐Black

et al. 2017

Anaesthesia

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“…The 3D models can also be excellent educational tools that are more robust and less toxic than fixed tissue [ 27 – 29 ]. Other groups have developed more varied materials to help simulate and practice various basic and advanced surgical procedures, including third ventriculostomies [ 17 ] and spinal injections [ 30 ]. In addition to CT and MRI, other imaging modalities such as ultrasound can be used to create patient-specific 3D models [ 31 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull

2015

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Neuroimaging technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) collect three-dimensional data (3D) that is typically viewed on two-dimensional (2D) screens. Actual 3D models, however, allow interaction with real objects such as implantable electrode grids, potentially improving patient specific neurosurgical planning and personalized clinical education. Desktop 3D printers can now produce relatively inexpensive, good quality prints. We describe our process for reliably generating life-sized 3D brain prints from MRIs and 3D skull prints from CTs. We have integrated a standardized, primarily open-source process for 3D printing brains and skulls. We describe how to convert clinical neuroimaging Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images to stereolithography (STL) files, a common 3D object file format that can be sent to 3D printing services. We additionally share how to convert these STL files to machine instruction gcode files, for reliable in-house printing on desktop, open-source 3D printers. We have successfully printed over 19 patient brain hemispheres from 7 patients on two different open-source desktop 3D printers. Each brain hemisphere costs approximately $3–4 in consumable plastic filament as described, and the total process takes 14–17 hours, almost all of which is unsupervised (preprocessing = 4–6 hr; printing = 9–11 hr, post-processing = <30 min). Printing a matching portion of a skull costs $1–5 in consumable plastic filament and takes less than 14 hr, in total. We have developed a streamlined, cost-effective process for 3D printing brain and skull models. We surveyed healthcare providers and patients who confirmed that rapid-prototype patient specific 3D models may help interdisciplinary surgical planning and patient education. The methods we describe can be applied for other clinical, research, and educational purposes.

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“…With the advent of 3D printing, there is a wide range of new methods for creating inexpensive, custom ultrasound phantoms. For instance, these printers can create polymeric structures that represent highly hyperechoic hard tissue structures such as the spine, which can be embedded in a tissue-mimicking material (TMM) (West et al 2014 ). Additionally, they can create specialized moulds for TMMs with which to create anatomically realistic soft tissue structures such as wall-less blood vessels (Nikitichev et al 2016 ), the kidney (Hunt et al 2013 ), and the heart (Holmes et al 2008 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomically realistic ultrasound phantoms using gel wax with 3D printed moulds

et al. 2018

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Here we describe methods for creating tissue-mimicking ultrasound phantoms based on patient anatomy using a soft material called gel wax. To recreate acoustically realistic tissue properties, two additives to gel wax were considered: paraffin wax to increase acoustic attenuation, and solid glass spheres to increase backscattering. The frequency dependence of ultrasound attenuation was well described with a power law over the measured range of 3–10 MHz. With the addition of paraffin wax in concentrations of 0 to 8 w/w%, attenuation varied from 0.72 to 2.91 dB cm−1 at 3 MHz and from 6.84 to 26.63 dB cm−1 at 10 MHz. With solid glass sphere concentrations in the range of 0.025–0.9 w/w%, acoustic backscattering consistent with a wide range of ultrasonic appearances was achieved. Native gel wax maintained its integrity during compressive deformations up to 60%; its Young’s modulus was 17.4 ± 1.4 kPa. The gel wax with additives was shaped by melting and pouring it into 3D printed moulds. Three different phantoms were constructed: a nerve and vessel phantom for peripheral nerve blocks, a heart atrium phantom, and a placental phantom for minimally-invasive fetal interventions. In the first, nerves and vessels were represented as hyperechoic and hypoechoic tubular structures, respectively, in a homogeneous background. The second phantom comprised atria derived from an MRI scan of a patient with an intervening septum and adjoining vena cavae. The third comprised the chorionic surface of a placenta with superficial fetal vessels derived from an image of a post-partum human placenta. Gel wax is a material with widely tuneable ultrasound properties and mechanical characteristics that are well suited for creating patient-specific ultrasound phantoms in several clinical disciplines.

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Development of an Ultrasound Phantom for Spinal Injections With 3-Dimensional Printing

Cited by 34 publications

References 20 publications

The application of three‐dimensional printing technology in anaesthesia: a systematic review

The application of three‐dimensional printing technology in anaesthesia: a systematic review

Streamlined, Inexpensive 3D Printing of the Brain and Skull

Anatomically realistic ultrasound phantoms using gel wax with 3D printed moulds

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