Page 22 - Spring 2025 Electron
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Industry News
3D-printed Medical Imaging Phantoms
replicate Human Anatomy
A joint research effort by Siemens and Stratasys
has demonstrated a highly accurate 3D-printed
medical imaging system that uses phantoms to
replicate human anatomy.
The system uses Stratasys’ RadioMatrix materials and
Digital Anatomy technology combined with Siemens
Healthineers’ advanced algorithms to significantly
improve the quality of complex anatomical medical
imaging phantoms, allowing surgeons, researchers
and educators to replace simplistic anatomical
phantom models for pre-surgery planning and
education.
MEDICAL FOCUS In particular these anatomically accurate, patient
specific 3D-printed phantoms are scalable and
efficient in developing new CT scan algorithms,
enabling hospitals and imaging centres to enhance
the calibration and performance of CT scanners.
Variances as low as single Hounsfield units were
reported between real and printed models in critical
areas such as veins and grey matter.
Improving Congestive Heart Failure Detection suffering from heart disease, focusing especially Jesus Fernandez Leon, Head of Computed
on distinguishing between patients with congestive Tomography Product and Clinical Marketing for
Physicists at Tampere University have developed a
heart failure and those that were either healthy or Siemens Healthineers, comments:
method of detecting congestive heart failure with
suffered from atrial fibrillation. By using their new
greater ease and precision.
method the team was able to detect congestive
heart failure with an accuracy of 90 per cent.
Current methods for detecting congestive heart
failure typically require costly and time-consuming
Dr. Stefan Leonhardt, Director of Medical Devices for
imaging techniques such as echocardiography,
3D Systems, states:
and where patients have a regular sinus rhythm
detection using just inter-beat intervals has often “ The rapid adoption of the EXT 220 MED by
been almost impossible. By contrast, atrial fibrillation leading healthcare institutions combined with
is comparatively simple to detect. our expanding applications pipeline, underscores
the transformative power of 3D-printing in clinical
With the new method consumer-grade heart rate
settings. We are proud to collaborate with the
devices and smartwatches may be used rather than
pioneering clinicians at University Hospital Basel
complex diagnostic procedures.
and other leading hospitals worldwide to expand
Reference: West,P., ‘Smartwatches may soon detect Congestive the applications that can be addressed with
Heart Failure’, Electronic Specifier, 7th. February
additive manufacturing. Since its launch in August
2023, our innovative solution has already been
utilised in more than 80 successful cranial implant
World First 3D-printed Facial Implant
surgeries at partner hospitals, demonstrating “ The integration of 3D-printing solutions to create
The University Hospital Basel, in collaboration with its swift integration and real-world effectiveness patient-realistic CT phantoms, combined with
3D Systems, has announced the successful design in delivering personalised patient care. The the Digital Anatomy technology from Stratasys,
Congestive heart failure can be reliably detected and manufacture of the world’s first Medical Device successful use of the EXT 220 MED for maxillofacial
by analysing the intervals between successive Regulation (MDR) compliant 3D-printed PEEK facial implants showcases our commitment to ongoing represents a significant innovation in the field
of computed tomography. This cooperation not
heartbeats, known as inter-beats or RR intervals. The implant. innovation that delivers personalised healthcare
new method uses advanced time-series analysis solutions for new applications.” only enhances our ability to assess and verify the
performance of modern CT systems , but also
developed by the Quantum Control and Dynamics The implant was used as part of successful surgery
conducted at the hospital on 18th. March. Market Research Future estimates that the 3D-printed ensures that our algorithms can rely on a highly
Research Group, which allows for the investigation realistic depiction of human anatomy. By working
of dependencies between inter-beat intervals with Production of the implant was achieved using maxillofacial implant market was worth around $2
different time scales, along with other complex VESTAKEEP i4 3DF PEEK by Evonik on 3D Systems’ EXT billion in 2024 and is expected to double by 2034. together, we are setting new standards in medical
imaging.”
characteristics that are typical of various forms of 220 MED. The cleanroom-based architecture of the Reference: Gittins, C., ‘3D Systems’ Solution supports 3D-printed
heart disease. 3D-printer and simplified post-processing workflows Facial Implant’, Electronic Specifier, 9th. April Reference: Miles, S., ‘Stratasys and Siemens advance Medical
Imaging with 3D-printed Phantoms’, Electronic Specifier, 27th.
allowed for the efficient production of patient-specific
The team analysed multiple international databases February
containing long-term electrocardiographs medical devices directly at the hospital.
(ECGs) from healthy control subjects and patients
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