RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Evaluating 3D-printed models of coronary anomalies: a survey among clinicians and researchers at a university hospital in the UK
JF BMJ Open
JO BMJ Open
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP e025227
DO 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025227
VO 9
IS 3
A1 Matthew Lee
A1 Sarah Moharem-Elgamal
A1 Rylan Beckingham
A1 Mark Hamilton
A1 Nathan Manghat
A1 Elena Giulia Milano
A1 Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci
A1 Massimo Caputo
A1 Giovanni Biglino
YR 2019
UL http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/3/e025227.abstract
AB Objective To evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) printing models of coronary artery anomalies based on cardiac CT data and explore their potential for clinical applications.Design Cardiac CT datasets of patients with various coronary artery anomalies (n=8) were retrospectively reviewed and processed, reconstructing detailed 3D models to be printed in-house with a desktop 3D printer (Form 2, Formlabs) using white resin.Setting A University Hospital (division of cardiology) in the UK.Participants The CT scans, first and then 3D-printed models were presented to groups of clinicians (n=8) and cardiovascular researchers (n=9).Intervention Participants were asked to assess different features of the 3D models and to rate the models’ overall potential usefulness.Outcome measures Models were rated according to clarity of anatomical detail, insight into the coronary abnormality, overall perceived usefulness and comparison to CT scans. Assessment of model characteristics used Likert-type questions (5-point scale from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’) or a 10-point rating (from 0, lowest, to 10, highest). The questionnaire included a feedback form summarising overall usefulness. Participants’ imaging experience (in a number of years) was also recorded.Results All models were reconstructed and printed successfully, with accurate details showing coronary anatomy (eg, anomalous coronary artery, coronary roofing or coronary aneurysm in a patient with Kawasaki syndrome). All clinicians and researchers provided feedback, with both groups finding the models helpful in displaying coronary artery anatomy and abnormalities, and complementary to viewing 3D CT scans. The clinicians’ group, who had substantially more imaging expertise, provided more enthusiastic ratings in terms of models’ clarity, usefulness and future use on average.Conclusions 3D-printed heart models can be feasibly used to recreate coronary artery anatomy and enhance understanding of coronary abnormalities. Future studies can evaluate their cost-effectiveness, as well as potentially explore other printing techniques and materials.