환자 맞춤형 3차원 프린팅 뇌종양 모델 제작 시스템의 신경외과 수술에의 적용

Abstract

Purpose: The usefulness of 3-dimensional (3D)-printed disease models has been recognized in various medical fields. This study aims to introduce a production platform for patient-specific 3D-printed brain tumor model in clinical practice and evaluate its effectiveness. Materials & Methods: A full-cycle platform was created for the clinical application of a 3D-printed brain tumor model (3D-printed model) production system. Essential elements included automated segmentation software, cloud-based interactive communication tools, customized brain models with exquisite expression of brain anatomy in transparent material, adjunctive devices for surgical simulation, and swift process cycles to meet practical needs. A simulated clinical usefulness validation was conducted in which neurosurgeons assessed the usefulness of the 3D-printed models in 10 cases. Results: We successfully produced clinically applicable patient-specific models within 4 days using the established platform. The simulated clinical usefulness validation results revealed the significant superiority of the 3D-printed models in surgical planning regarding surgical posture (p=0.0147) and craniotomy design (p=0.0072) compared to conventional magnetic resonance images. The benefit was more noticeable for neurosurgeons with less experience. Conclusion: We established a 3D-printed brain tumor model production system that is ready to use in daily clinical practice for neurosurgery.