DICOM-to-print – a new service for hospitals in North America

axial3D is a start-up that successfully implements modern technologies in the medical industry. The company deals with professional preparation of 3D printed anatomical models based on data collected during medical imaging in the DICOM format. Their models are used both for preoperative planning and for translating treatment techniques to students, patients, and their families.

We recently reported that the company has raised $ 3 million in funding in the last round of financing. For a start-up, the cash injection is a chance to expand the framework of their business and enter completely new, foreign markets. Now, in consultation with Fast Radius, they have started providing a new “DICOM-to-print” service dedicated to hospitals in North America.

The goal of the service offered is to provide doctors and surgeons in North America (in the United States, Canada and Mexico) with access to innovative pre-operative planning methods that will optimize the quality of treatments. The service consists in converting files sent by users in the DICOM format to an extension enabling the production in 3D printing technology. And all in no more than 48 hours.

Lou Rassey, CEO of Fast Radius says that cooperation with Axial3D gives easier access to the service of creating surgical models, which in turn translates into higher quality of patient care. Roger Johnston from Axial3D adds that their solution supports the work of surgeons, giving the possibility of more accurate planning of procedures.

DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard developed for the purpose of unifying the exchange of data obtained in medical imaging processes – data obtained in computed tomography or medical imaging are recorded in this standard. Creating a model that will be properly prepared for 3D printing requires not only specialized knowledge, but often also expensive software (e.g. Mimics Materialize).

3D printing technology gives the opportunity to interact with the three-dimensional representation of the model, which is easier to interpret, especially for inexperienced doctors. Anatomical models have been the main application of 3D printing technology in the medical sector for years, and over the years the number of doctors using modern solutions in everyday work increases.

Source: www.centrumdruku3d.pl