Feasibility and accuracy of printed models of complex cardiac defects in small infants from cardiac CT

Abstract

3D printed models are increasingly used to enhance understanding of complex anatomy in congenital heart disease. To assess feasibility and accuracy of 3D printed models obtained from cardiac CT scan in small pediatric population with complex congenital heart diseases. Patients with conotruncal heart anomalies aged less than 2 years old who had a cardiac CT scan in course of their follow-up were included. Cardiac CT scan datasets were used to generate 3D models. To assess model's accuracy, 4 diameters were compared for each patient between the CT images and the printed models, including the largest diameters (Dmax) of ventricular septal defects (VSD) and aortic annulus (AA) and their minimal diameters (Dmin). Images of 14 patients were obtained. Mean age was 5.5 months (1-24 months), mean weight was 6.7 kg (3.4-14.5 kg). 3D models were obtained in all patients. Mean measurement difference between CT image and 3D model was 0.13 mm for Dmin and 0.12 mm for Dmax for VSD diameters, and was 0.16 mm for Dmin and -0.13 mm for Dmax for AA diameter indicating a non-clinically significant difference ( Fig. 1 ). 3D printed models are feasible from cardiac CT scan in small pediatric population with complex congenital heart diseases. This technique is highly accurate and reliably reflects the same structure dimensions when compared to CT source images.