The word 'anatomy' is a Greek word that essentially means 'to cut apart'. Anatomy is the scientific study of the body’s structures be it animal or human. An understanding of anatomy is the key to the practice of medicine and other areas of health.The science of anatomy is at least 2000 years old, and can be divided into many sub categories. Clinical anatomy is the study of the macroscopic structure and function of the body as applied to clinical practice. Gross anatomy deals with the study of the gross structure of the human body, and is considered one of the most important branches of anatomy. Surface anatomy, another branch of anatomy, is the art of projecting on to the surface the underlying structures. Some of these structures are big enough to be observed by the naked eye, while some very small and can only be observed and analyzed with the help of a microscope. Study of all the structures – whether large or small - is necessary for a surgeon or medical professional. Dissection techniques are another important way to study these structures in anatomy as they allow clinicians to visualize structures inside the living body. Anatomy has always had a strong connection with visualization. When there was no augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) or 3D printing, anatomy was introduced to medical students through graphics depictions, cadavers and illustrative visualizations. Today, the medical field has just started to tap the potential of AR / VR and 3D Printing for anatomy studies. AR / VR can fuse clinical imaging data with reality, changing the way medical training, clinical diagnosis and treatment is administered. Digital anatomy is nothing but computer-based 3D modelling of the human body captured by using scanners or Diacom images. Thanks to disruptive technologies like AR, VR and 3D printing, the medical fraternity has benefited immensely. In this article, we will focus on the benefits of using good 3D printing software for digital anatomy.
Humans are geared to understand any subject better when it is shown visually. Anatomy is no exception, and 3D printing is proving to be a boon in making this possible. Today, 3D printing has been gaining momentum in delivering medical care, helped in large measure by its ability to produce highly accurate and customized solutions. 3D printed surgical instruments, medical education and training, dental procedures are gaining traction. Surgical planning and treatment is another field where 3D printing is proving its merit. Patient-specific anatomical models that are created using high end 3D printers like the Stratasys J750DAP, have helped guide surgeons for pre-operatively and intra-operatively treatments. 3D printed patient-specific anatomical models have also been applied clinically to orthopedic care for surgical planning and patient education.
While there are various 3D printing technologies available today, the most common 3D printing techniques used for digital anatomical models include fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), and PolyJet, respectively. FDM printing is based on the continuous extrusion of a heated thermoplastic from a nozzle, SLA printing is based on the polymerization of resin from a resin vat using ultraviolet (UV) light, and PolyJet is based on the UV light mediated polymerization of liquid photopolymer material administered from an ink-jet, all three of which occur in a layer by layer process.Both FDM and SLA can print parts in single material, but the highest benefit has been derived from Polyjet technology. The capability of Polyjet technology to jet multiple materials simultaneously and mix these materials to create different shore hardness, and thereby create soft tissues, porous bones to mimic accurate biomechanical behavior of the anatomy is excellent.
Digital Anatomy 3D Printing Software
3D printing is software driven. In other words, how good the organ, tissue or structure is 3D printed depends to a large extent on how good the software is. The 3D software should be able to create the most lifelike anatomical models available. Another important aspect is creating anatomical models that mimic accurate biomechanical behaviour. This is possible only when there is a huge choice of raw materials available. Good software like that from Stratasys allows combinations of materials and more than one hundred preset anatomical menu options that allow users to mimic disease states and physiological factors with biomechanical accuracy. The company also works with leading medical device companies and research institutes to develop digital anatomies. Medical simulation scenarios are continuously updated so performance is always tuned to fit common simulation and validation scenarios.The software is able to read native CAD files and models prepared using Diacom images. It also has a comprehensive library of human anatomy presets, reducing the need to design internal structures. It also enables configuration of anatomies using unique material combinations that vary in softness, flexibility, and density to achieve native tissue behaviour. In addition, these software presets are evaluated against real animal and human tissue. Such software also allows creation of large as well as small and complex 3D printed blood vessels that mimic natural blood vessels and behave like native vessels when pulsative forces are applied to them and devices are inserted, all the while maintaining repeatability. The software is also able to create intricate heart models that match tissue deformation characteristics and behave like native tissue when suturing and device insertion is undertaken. Another key feature of the software is that it allows creating musculoskeletal models that match bone density characteristics and behave like native bone when force such as discectomy, drilling, reaming or sawing is applied.
A good software eliminates the need to re-design micro-structures for each new pathology. Preset anatomy choice takes the guesswork out of the equation, achieving high orthopedic accuracy. Stratasys DAP software also offers an intuitive, user friendly interface that allows users to experiment with different materials available to the digital anatomy printer, in order to create custom presets with the desired mechanical properties and colors.
To summarize, digital anatomy software should be versatile, accept inputs in different formats, provide a wide choice of materials, and produce anatomical models that are clinically validated. The medical field depends upon precise tissue and organ models in order to test solutions and optimize design and device functionality. It is not enough to have a good 3D digital anatomy printer; the accompanying software should simulate anatomies and pathologies with high precision. This allow users to create their own preset models. Furthermore, it should ensure high repeatability and acceleration across the design validation process.