title: The production of digital and printed resources from multiple modalities using visualization and three-dimensional printing techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Virtual digital resources and printed models have become indispensable tools for medical training and surgical planning. Nevertheless, printed models of soft tissue organs are still challenging to reproduce. This study adopts open source packages and a low-cost desktop 3D printer to convert multiple modalities of medical images to digital resources (volume rendering images and digital models) and lifelike printed models, which are useful to enhance our understanding of the geometric structure and complex spatial nature of anatomical organs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neuroimaging technologies such as CT, CTA, MRI, and TOF-MRA collect serial medical images. The procedures for producing digital resources can be divided into volume rendering and medical image reconstruction. To verify the accuracy of reconstruction, this study presents qualitative and quantitative assessments. Subsequently, digital models are archived as stereolithography format files and imported to the bundled software of the 3D printer. The printed models are produced using polylactide filament materials.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have successfully converted multiple modalities of medical images to digital resources and printed models for both hard organs (cranial base and tooth) and soft tissue organs (brain, blood vessels of the brain, the heart chambers and vessel lumen, and pituitary tumor). Multiple digital resources and printed models were provided to illustrate the anatomical relationship between organs and complicated surrounding structures. Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a powerful tool to produce lifelike and tangible models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present an available and cost-effective method for producing both digital resources and printed models. The choice of modality in medical images and the processing approach is important when reproducing soft tissue organs models. The accuracy of the printed model is determined by the quality of organ models and 3DP. With the ongoing improvement of printing techniques and the variety of materials available, 3DP will become an indispensable tool in medical training and surgical planning.
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
authors.forename: Wuyang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shui
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
authors.forename: Mingquan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Endocrine Key Laboratory of Ministry of Health, National Virtual Simulation Laboratory Education Center of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China. cs0083@126.com.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Eight-year Program of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Zhouxian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
authors.forename: Qingqiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, National Virtual Simulation Laboratory Education Center of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, 712000, China.
authors.forename: Taiping
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
authors.forename: Xingce
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D019291:Skull Base / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012984:Software; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014070:Tooth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: 3D printing; Anatomical organs; Medical images; Medical reconstruction; Visualization