We’ve seen WhiteClouds tackling nearly everything in 3D print, from making 3D printed maps via drone data to entering into the gaming realm in acquiring Sandboxr, to creating a 3D printed arm brace for a football player in the last Super Bowl. Now, it’s certainly no surprise to see that they are entering the surgical arena as they launch 3DyourSCAN. This allows for a life-size model to be made of a patient’s scan (converted from MRI or CT).
We’ve seen plenty of technology in the area of scanning and 3D models, but this is undeniably a revolutionary move for the medical field, with the intention being a greater level of communication between doctors and their patients. With hundreds of millions of surgeries taking place each year, the Utah-based company expects this new way of examining and discussing the human body to be very useful—most especially due to the ‘hinge and slice’ feature.
“3DyourSCAN will help doctors better visualize complex clinical scenarios and improve collaboration among physicians and patients, providing peace of mind,” said Jerry Ropelato, CEO of WhiteClouds, “Our mission at WhiteClouds is to continue honing and delivering groundbreaking technology in order for clinicians to provide better patient care.”
As this latest innovation unfolds, so does a new partnership in the works, between WhiteClouds and TeraRecon, a software provider specializing in advanced visualization. The result of this collaboration is that now medical professionals will be able to 3D print patient models from the software. Currently, there are more than 4,000 installations worldwide for this platform that allows for efficient, user friendly 3D printing and cloud-based 3D reconstruction.
“WhiteClouds’ technology gives our customers instant access to 3D printing resources that would otherwise have high barriers to entry. Clinicians have already proven 3D printing to be a useful tool as the medical industry continues to progress towards personalized healthcare,” said Jeff Sorenson, TeraRecon’s President and CEO. “We are excited to work with WhiteClouds to not only make 3D printing accessible, but also make prints that set a new standard and are remarkable in terms of their detail and realism.”
3D printed medical model of a hip trauma.
The 3D models that medical professionals will be able to print are referred to as ‘3D Print Packs.’ According to TeraRecon the high-resolution models are easily created online, and are affordable.
“The need for access and affordability in 3D printing has been an ongoing challenge for healthcare organizations hoping to leverage the technology,” says Jeff Sorenson, President and CEO of TeraRecon. “Contributing to this challenge is a lack of resources and demand needed to purchase a printer, maintain the hardware, and justify the overhead associated with the investment.”
“3D Print Packs extend our advanced visualization expertise to include the material world. It is especially exciting that this feature can be turned on within every current TeraRecon installed base system. We are excited to work with WhiteClouds to not only make 3D printing accessible to everyone, but also make prints that set a new standard and are remarkable in terms of their detail and realism.”
Digital design and 3D printing are paving the way for a new world of training tools for everyone—from the patient to the medical student to the experienced surgeon preparing for a new procedure.
Interested in finding out more? TeraRecon’s ‘3D Print Packs’ will be showcased at the upcoming RSNA Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois at TeraRecon’s booth #7165. Discuss in the 3D Print Packs forum at 3DPB.com.
