title: 3D printing of intracranial artery stenosis based on the source images of magnetic resonance angiograph.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Three dimensional (3D) printing techniques for brain diseases have not been widely studied. We attempted to 'print' the segments of intracranial arteries based on magnetic resonance imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three dimensional magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed on two patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis. Using scale-adaptive vascular modeling, 3D vascular models were constructed from the MRA source images. The magnified (ten times) regions of interest (ROI) of the stenotic segments were selected and fabricated by a 3D printer with a resolution of 30 µm. A survey to 8 clinicians was performed to evaluate the accuracy of 3D printing results as compared with MRA findings (4 grades, grade 1: consistent with MRA and provide additional visual information; grade 2: consistent with MRA; grade 3: not consistent with MRA; grade 4: not consistent with MRA and provide probable misleading information). If a 3D printing vessel segment was ideally matched to the MRA findings (grade 2 or 1), a successful 3D printing was defined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven responders marked "grade 1" to 3D printing results, while one marked "grade 4". Therefore, 87.5% of the clinicians considered the 3D printing were successful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our pilot study confirms the feasibility of using 3D printing technique in the research field of intracranial artery diseases. Further investigations are warranted to optimize this technique and translate it into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Hai
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China ; 2 Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China ; 3 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Huang
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wu
keywords: Three dimensional printing (3D printing); intracranial stenosis; magnetic resonance angiography (MRA); stroke