This is a 3D printed heart made from CT scan data. Smithsonian talks to Brigham and Women's Hospital radiologists Beth Ripley and Tatiana Kelil whose 3D Print For Health effort to spur conversation and exploration around 3D printing in medicine.
From Michelle Z. Donahue's Smithsonian article:
The team is focusing on two procedures in conjunction with other physicians at Brigham and Women's Hospital—a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement and a robotic-assisted kidney tumor resection where every second counts after the vessels are clamped. Having a 3D model of a patient's aorta prior to surgery allows doctors to choose a valve that fits exactly; for a kidney, the model gives surgeons better visualization of tumor location, minimizing tissue damage from reduced blood flow to the organ during surgery.
"With minimally invasive valve replacement, interventionalists don't get to open your chest and physically measure the valve to make sure it fits," Ripley says. "Currently, the only way to measure that is with a 2D image, but even with the best images it's not always easy."
"Doctors Can Study 3D Printed Models of Your Organs Before Surgery"
