title: Early experiences of planning stereotactic radiosurgery using 3D printed models of eyes with uveal melanomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the use of 3D printed model of an eye with intraocular tumor for linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The software for segmentation (3D Slicer) created virtual 3D model of eye globe with tumorous mass based on tissue density from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging data. A virtual model was then processed in the slicing software (Simplify3D®) and printed on 3D printer using fused deposition modeling technology. The material that was used for printing was polylactic acid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2015, stereotactic planning scheme was optimized with the help of 3D printed model of the patient's eye with intraocular tumor. In the period 2001-2015, a group of 150 patients with uveal melanoma (139 choroidal melanoma and 11 ciliary body melanoma) were treated. The median tumor volume was 0.5 cm3(0.2-1.6 cm3). The radiation dose was 35.0 Gy by 99% of dose volume histogram.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 3D printed model of eye with tumor was helpful in planning the process to achieve the optimal scheme for irradiation which requires high accuracy of defining the targeted tumor mass and critical structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University.
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furdová
authors.affiliation: Department of Stereotactic Radiosurgery, St Elisabeth Cancer Inst and St Elisabeth University College of Health and Social Work.
authors.forename: Miron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sramka
authors.affiliation: Department of Simulation and Virtual Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thurzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Simulation and Virtual Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furdová
keywords: 3D printing; intraocular tumor; linear accelerator; stereotactic planning scheme; stereotactic radiosurgery; uveal melanoma