Stratasys/Siemens Healthineers
Stratasys and Siemens Healthineers have shared results from a joint research effort that aims to deliver 3D printed medical imaging phantoms that accurately replicate the human body.
Phantoms are used to test and calibrate imaging systems in the medical sector before use on the human body. This collaboration, announced in 2023 as a "landmark" research project, is using Stratasys’ RadioMatrix materials and Digital Anatomy 3D printing technology with Siemens Healthineers’ advanced algorithms to replace simplistic anatomical phantom models used for pre-surgery planning and education with improved anatomical models that accurately replicate patient specific human anatomy and pathologies.
“The collaboration between Stratasys and Siemens Healthineers will pave the way for innovations that enhance imaging precision, improve training efficiency, and reduce reliance on cadavers,” said Erez Ben Zvi, Vice President of Healthcare, Stratasys. “This is a game-changer for the medical community. We believe this work can speed up the advancement of medicine and improve patient outcomes.”
The collaborators claim the joint effort is addressing the radiology field’s long-standing need for consistency and reliability while preserving the anatomy and details of potential pathologies and anatomical variations, while also providing a more accurate and ethically sound alternative to the use of human cadavers. The research, presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, has also highlighted the significant deviations between real and printed models, with variances said to be as low as single Hounsfield units (HU) in critical areas like grey matter and veins. These enhanced 3D printed phantoms are also said to offer greater efficiency in developing new CT scan algorithms and improving diagnostic precision.
Jesús Fernández Léon, Head of Computed Tomography Product & Clinical Marketing at Siemens Healthineers said, “This cooperation not only enhances our ability to assess and verify the performance of modern CT systems but also ensures that our algorithms can rely on a highly realistic depiction of human anatomy. By working together, we are setting new standards in medical imaging.”
