Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2025

05:11
Multimodal 3D Printing of Phantoms to Simulate Biological Tissue
Published on: January 11, 2020
7.7K
Computed tomography tissue equivalence of 3D printing materials
M Jusufbegović1, A Pandžić2, A Šehić3
1Department of Radiology, Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo, Bolnička 25. Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Radiography (London, England : 1995)
|March 10, 2022
Summary
This study determined the Computed Tomography (CT) number values for fused deposition modelling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA) additive manufacturing (AM) materials. These CT values are crucial for designing medical devices and phantoms with specific imaging properties.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging Physics
- Materials Science in Medicine
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Additive manufacturing (AM) enables complex medical device prototyping.
- The interpretation of AM materials in Computed Tomography (CT) is underexplored.
- Understanding AM material properties in CT is vital for medical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the CT number (Hounsfield Unit) values for various AM materials.
- To investigate the appearance of AM materials in CT images.
- To provide data for designing AM-based medical products and phantoms.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen AM materials (7 FDM, 8 SLA) were selected.
- Test objects were manufactured as rectangular blocks with 100% infill.
- Materials were scanned using CT at 80, 100, 120, and 135 kV.
Main Results:
- All tested AM materials showed uniformity when printed with 100% infill.
- CT numbers ranged from -188.0 to 189.1 HU for FDM materials.
- CT numbers ranged from -15.8 to 167.3 HU for SLA materials.
Conclusions:
- CT numbers of AM materials can be correlated with specific human tissues.
- This data aids in designing medical and rehabilitation products with predictable CT appearances.
- Findings support the creation of immobilization devices and anthropomorphic phantoms for medical imaging.

