Computed tomography characterisation of additive manufacturing materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) offers novel possibilities for creating complex medical devices.
• While AM material properties are studied, their characterization in computed tomography (CT) is underexplored.
• Understanding AM material behavior in CT is crucial for medical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the CT numbers of commonly used additive manufacturing materials.
• To assess the appearance of AM materials in CT images.
• To provide data for designing medical devices and imaging phantoms.

Main Methods:

• 19 different additive manufacturing material samples were selected.
• Samples underwent computed tomography scanning.
• Resultant images were analyzed to determine CT numbers and visual characteristics.

Main Results:

• Several additive manufacturing materials demonstrated CT numbers comparable to human tissues.
• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) produced uniform samples in CT images.
• Internal structures of 3D printed materials showed variability.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing materials can be suitable for medical applications requiring CT compatibility.
• CT characterization data can inform the design of custom medical devices, implants, and prostheses.
• Further research into AM material CT properties can enhance medical imaging applications.