Computer-Aided Design Principles for Anatomic Modeling

The process of creating three-dimensional (3D) printed models from medical imaging data is complicated and involves numerous steps. In order for a patient-specific anatomic model to be suitable for 3D printing, segmented anatomical regions of interest must be designed, prepped, and then converted into 3D file types that are recognized by vendor-specific 3D printing slicing software. In this chapter, computer-aided design principles and common tools/operations used for medical models will be discussed and clinical examples will be provided. Understanding these tools and methods is critical for any radiologist overseeing the creation of 3D printed models in a hospital setting and can help radiologists to work with surgeons to optimize treatment plans and execute surgeries.