Medical Imaging Technologies and Imaging Considerations for 3D Printed Anatomic Models

Since the development of the X-ray in 1895, there have been many major advancements in medical imaging, and today the use of volumetric medical imaging is the backbone of 3D printing in medicine. Patient-specific 3D printed anatomic models may be created from any volumetric imaging dataset, with sufficient contrast and spatial resolution to separate structures, using dedicated image postprocessing software. The purpose of this chapter is to give a broad overview of the imaging systems that are typically used to create 3D printed anatomic models including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. In addition, imaging considerations for creating 3D printed anatomic models will be discussed.