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. 2024 Oct;30(5):712-719.
doi: 10.1177/15910199221143254. Epub 2022 Dec 12.

Validation of three-dimensional printed models of intracranial aneurysms

Daniel E Mantilla  1   2   3 , Riccardo Ferrara  4 , Andrés F Ortiz  1   2 , Daniela D Vera  5 , Franck Nicoud  6 , Vincent Costalat  7
Affiliations

Validation of three-dimensional printed models of intracranial aneurysms

Daniel E Mantilla et al. Interv Neuroradiol. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Introduction: Three-dimensional (3D) printing has evolved for medical applications as it can produce customized 3D models of devices and implants that can improve patient care. In this study, we aimed to validate the geometrical accuracy of the 3D models of intracranial aneurysms printed using Stereolithography 3D printing technology.

Materials and methods: To compare the unruptured intracranial aneurysm mesh between the five patients and 3D printed models, we opened the DICOM files in the Sim&Size® simulation software, selected the region of interest, and performed the threshold check. We juxtaposed the 3D reconstructions and manually rotated the images to get the same orientation when needed and measured deviations at different nodes of the patient and 3D printed model meshes.

Results: In the first patient, 80% of the nodes were separated by <0.56 mm and 0.17 mm. In the second patient, the deviations were below 0.17 mm for 80% of the meshes' nodes. In the next three patients, the deviations were below 0.21, 0.23, and 0.11 mm for 80% of the meshes' nodes. Finally, the overall deviation was below 0.21 mm for 80% of the mesh nodes of the five aneurysms.

Conclusions: 3D printed models of intracranial aneurysms are accurate, having surfaces that resemble that of patients' angiographies with an 80% cumulative deviation below 0.21 mm.

Keywords: Aneurysm; printing; stereolithography; three-dimensional.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Workflow for manufacturing and validating three-dimensional (3D) printed models of intracranial aneurysms.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Differences between the patient and three-dimensional (3D) printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for an aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery: (A) shows the juxtaposed 3D reconstructions (left) and the distance between nodes (right) and (B) shows the cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed 3D reconstructions.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Differences between the patient and three-dimensional (3D) printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for an aneurysm with a small sac in the middle cerebral artery: (A) shows the juxtaposed 3D reconstructions (left) and the distance between nodes (right) and (B) shows the cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed 3D reconstructions.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Differences between the patient and three-dimensional (3D) printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for an aneurysm in the middle cerebral artery: (A) shows the juxtaposed 3D reconstructions (left) and the distance between nodes (right) and (B) shows the cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed 3D reconstructions.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Differences between the patient and three-dimensional (3D) printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for an aneurysm in the carotid T: (A) shows the juxtaposed 3D reconstructions (left) and the distance between nodes (right) and (B) shows the cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed 3D reconstructions.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Differences between the patient and three-dimensional (3D) printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for an aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery: (A) shows the juxtaposed 3D reconstructions (left) and the distance between nodes (right) and (B) shows the cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed 3D reconstructions.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Cumulative frequency of the nodes’ deviations between juxtaposed three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions showing the differences between the patient and 3D printed model 3D-aneurism reconstructions for the five patients (global results).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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