Quality Assurance of 3D Printed Anatomic Models

Quality Assurance (QA), defined as the maintenance of a desired level of quality in a service or a product, is a subset of the quality management system and provides the framework that ensures quality requirements are met. In radiology, a QA program ensures the correct operation of imaging systems for the delivery of optimal patient care. To be useful to the clinician, 3D printed models must be a reliable representation of the patient’s anatomy. This chapter will discuss key steps for the QA of 3D printed anatomic models including image acquisition, image data segmentation, model design, printing process, and part postprocessing including sterilization.