How Medical 3D Printing is Gaining Ground in Top U.S. Hospitals
This story was originally published on the Materialise Medical Blog.
Recently, many hospitals have started making a shift, from using medical images primarily for diagnostic purposes, to integrating them in patient-specific surgical planning. This has created enormous advantages for hospitals and their patients, and is largely supported by the expanding role of the radiologist as imaging expert.
As part of this, an increasing number of hospitals across the U.S. have integrated the practice of 3D Printing in their medical care. Hospitals are recognizing the added value it brings to personalized patient care, and the countless possibilities that are becoming a reality, in creating better treatment options.
Why start 3D Printing in your hospital?
One of the key benefits of virtual 3D anatomical models and 3D Printing is that they enable radiologists to use advanced analysis, which consequently helps surgeons evaluate better treatment decisions, and plan their surgeries more accurately. Anatomical models attract experts from many specialties as they can provide a better understanding of the anatomical structures and pathologies. Additionally, 3D-printed patient-specific anatomical models support surgeons during consultations with their patients and their families, when explaining their condition.
3D Printing can also be used as an educational tool for medical students and residents in explaining complex medical cases. For example, being able to hold a model and view the pathology of a disease from different angles, helps students understand the steps involved in a surgery more clearly.
Out of the top 20 hospitals as ranked by U.S. News and World Report, 16 have implemented a medical 3D printing strategy using Materialise Mimics technology.
Out of the top 10 children’s hospitals as ranked by U.S. News and World Report, 9 have implemented a medical 3D printing strategy using Materialise Mimics technology.
Medical 3D Printing is happening now
Implementing 3D Printing centrally has become the trend in U.S. hospitals. Typically heavily supported by the radiology department, an interdisciplinary 3D printing facility has frequent interactions with most departments in the hospital. Numbers show that today, cardiac, orthopedic, vascular, neurosurgical and hepatobiliary physicians are currently the ones who take advantage of 3D Printing the most, by using it for surgical planning, education and visualization.
TOP 5 MEDICAL DISCIPLINES LEVERAGING 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
Publications on planning, education and visualisation
The majority of the top 20 U.S. hospitals are using 3D Printing with the aim to offer better treatment possibilities, and rely on Materialise Mimics technology to do it. If you haven’t already, why not try our software to include medical images in enhanced treatment?
To read the facts on U.S. hospitals and 3D Printing, download the PDF. Or contact us to find out about our Mimics software, or how to start a 3D printing lab in your hospital!
Read more: http://www.materialise.com/en/blog/3d-printing-us-hospitals
