Steps for biomodel acquisition through addtive manufacturing for health

Ana Waleska Pessoa Barros,Jefferson Felipe Silva De Lima,Érika Porto,Renata De Souza Coelho Soares,Nadja Maria Da Silva Oliveira Brito

doi:10.1590/1981-8637201600030000123101

Ana Waleska Pessoa Barros, Jefferson Felipe Silva De Lima + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-8637201600030000123101

Copy DOI

Abstract

ABSTRACT The use of rapid prototyping in medical and dental fields consists of three-dimensional models using Computer Aided Design systems and Computer Aided Manufacturing systems. Such systems focus specifically on enhanced 3D visualization tools that provide a precise preoperative planning opportunity through three-dimensional printing, to the professional. The objective of this study was to describe the main steps in the biomodel manufacturing using an Objet 3D printer (CONNEX 350), whose raw material is a light-curing resin. The steps are adopted by researchers from three-dimensional technologies laboratory (LT3D), of the Center for Strategic Technologies in Health (NUTES), from the State University of Paraíba (UEPB), Brazil. It begins with the acquisition of tomographic images that are processed through specific software and exported to the digital Stereo lithography (STL) format. The additive manufacturing technique is Stereo lithography, which consists in the construction of biomodel by photopolymerization of a liquid epoxy resin using ultraviolet radiation. The biomodel that comes from this process was brought to a pressurizing machine to remove the resin support, washing it with water jets. After this step, this biomodel was sent to the health professional in charge. The use of biomodels constitutes a major breakthrough in the area of Dentistry, allowing more precise diagnosis by professionals, simulation and surgical planning, previous adaptation of biomaterials and orthoses, as well as interaction between the surgeon and the patient, thus obtaining more satisfactory aesthetic results and decreased surgical time.

Highlights

The growing search for excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of human body disorders has been a challenge for health professionals
The development of systems such as Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) fits the needs of surgeons and they result in a range of computing resources that help assisted surgeries
It is necessary to follow a sequence of steps that begin with the acquisition of the patient’s radiographic images followed by additional diagnostic imaging, such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CTA Computed (Computed Axial Tomography) or CVT (Computed Volumetric Tomography), and its CAD conversion, achieving a 3D image of the object to be reproduced[9,10]

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The growing search for excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of human body disorders has been a challenge for health professionals. The development of systems such as CAD and CAM fits the needs of surgeons and they result in a range of computing resources that help assisted surgeries These systems focus on the enhanced 3D visualization tools that provide accurate professional preoperative planning through the three-dimensional impression made by the. NUTES is a reference center for the development of health technologies presenting biomedical engineering laboratories, electronics, software development and validation, and it is the only center of additive manufacture and manipulation of images, based in universities in the Brazilian Northeast. It aims to describe the main steps in the production of biomodels using an Objet 3D printer (CONNEX 350), whose raw material is a light-curing resin. In situations where there is still need for dimensional image improvement, a MeshLabTM16 software, is used (Figure 2)

Steps to medical image production

Stages of additive manufacturing