Really. You have to see it to believe it.
The team at Stratasys has developed the first-of-its-kind, radiopaque material that will allow clinical teams, labs, and researchers to 3D print radio-realistic models—that exhibit defined radiopacity properties under medical imaging such as X-ray or CT.
Stratasys customers asked us over and over again for 3D printed radiopaque model material. So we got to work and developed RadioMatrix on the Digital Anatomy Printer.
By adding specific amounts of RadioMatrix to a 3D printed model comprised of the Vero material family, creators can assign Hounsfield (HU) values to material slices—providing contrast between anatomical structures so they look like the real thing under medical imaging such as CT and X-Ray.
RadioMatrix brings DICOM images to life. For the first time, 3D print labs can make targeted pathologies visible so clinicians can practice procedures that require contrast media, and researchers can test and demo medical devices.
RadioMatrix will allow the medical industry like device companies, academic medical centres, hospitals, phantom and modality manufacturers to use patient-specific radiopaque models in their imaging equipment, reducing patient exposure. And by comparing radio-realistic models to the original DICOM images, labs will be able to assess the tolerances of a patient-specific print and validate model accuracy.
Radio Matrix is white in appearance and exhibits the same mechanical properties as Vero PureWhite. The material enables total geometrical freedom to create complex anatomies that would not be possible with traditional manufacturing, and by customizing the ratio of RadioMatrix, you can mimic HU values to differentiate between bone structures, ligaments, skin, and fat.
RadioMatrix material can reach values of ~1000HU on its own. By mixing RadioMatrix with other Vero family materials “on the fly” one can produce models spanning -30HU to ~1000HU depending on the material composition and the total amount used.
