3D printed medical model (Photo: VA Puget Sound Health Care System)
GE Healthcare and VA Puget Sound Health Care System have announced a partnership to deliver improved precision healthcare for U.S. veterans with advanced 3D imaging technology.
Building on its 3D printing network, VA Puget Sound, which provides care to more than 9 million veterans, and the Veterans Health Administration Innovators Network, will integrate GE Healthcare’s visualisation AW VolumeShare workstations with 3D printing software at its facilities in Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Cleveland and Salt Lake City.
Previously, the VA was using 3D software that was not specifically designed for medical use. Now, VA radiologists specialising in cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics and other areas will use GE advanced visualisation tools designed specifically for the medical field to develop new 3D imaging approaches for improved precision healthcare.
Dr. Ripley performs quality check on a model of a kidney with a cancerous tumour (Photo by Chris Pacheco).
“The Veterans Health Administration has been on the forefront of bringing 3D printing to the bedside, and we are thrilled to join forces with GE Healthcare to enhance and accelerate its adoption,” said Beth Ripley, MD, PhD, VA Puget Sound radiologist, VA Innovation Specialist and VHA 3D Printing Advisory Committee chair. “For most radiologists, 3D images are limited to reconstructions on a computer screen. By harnessing the power of 3D printing with a rich data set, we are able to pull images out of the screen and into our hands, allowing us to interact with the data in a deeper way to fuel innovative, personalised care based on the unique needs of each of our patients.”
VA radiologists will be able to produce models of normal and pathological anatomy using automation techniques that will speed up pre-3D printing preparation work and the diagnostic process. This is expected to reduce the time it takes to create 3D models from hours to minutes.
“We are delighted to partner with the Veterans Administration to accelerate 3D printing in healthcare,” said Terri Bresenham, Chief Innovation Officer for GE Healthcare. “This partnership will result in significant innovation for the growing application of additive manufacturing in medicine while advancing GE Healthcare toward its mission to improve patient outcomes and enable precision healthcare.”
