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Updated: Jun 5, 2025
State of the Art Cranial Ultrasound Imaging in Neonates
Published on: February 2, 2015
Assessing the feasibility of handheld scanning technologies in neonatal intensive care: Trueness, acceptability, and
Deanne August1, Isabel Byram2, David Forrestal3
1Grantley Stable Neonatal Unit, Womens and Newborn Services, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Insights
Portable 3D scanners Artec Leo and Revopoint POP 2 show promise for creating custom CPAP devices for premature infants, potentially reducing nasal injuries. Further research is needed to confirm their clinical utility.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care technology
- Medical device development
- 3D scanning applications
Background:
- Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices can cause injuries in premature infants.
- Three-dimensional (3D) scanning, established in adult medicine, has emerging applications in neonatology.
- Custom-fit CPAP devices offer a potential solution to reduce infant injuries and disfigurement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of portable 3D scanners for neonatal intensive care environments.
- To identify optimal 3D scanning technology for custom CPAP device development in premature infants.
Main Methods:
- Four handheld 3D scanners (Artec Leo, Revopoint POP 2, iPad Pro/Metascan, iPhone/Scandy Pro) were assessed.
- Neonatal clinicians performed mock scans in a simulated neonatal intensive care unit setting.
- Scanner performance was evaluated based on accuracy, scan time, ergonomics, and data security.
Main Results:
- Artec Leo and Revopoint POP 2 demonstrated high accuracy with median absolute errors of 0.21 mm and 0.17 mm, respectively.
- Scan times were fastest for Artec Leo (22.9 sec) and Revopoint POP 2 (25.2 sec).
- App-based scanners (Metascan, Scandy Pro) raised data security concerns, while Artec Leo was the most expensive and Revopoint POP 2 was rated more ergonomic.
Conclusions:
- Artec Leo and Revopoint POP 2 are the most feasible portable 3D scanners for neonatal use.
- These scanners show potential for developing custom-fit CPAP devices for premature infants.
- Further validation is recommended for clinical implementation in neonatal intensive care units.
Background:
Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) injuries are common for premature infants. Clinical use of three-dimensional (3D) scanning is established in adult medicine, but the possibilities in neonatal care are still emerging. Custom printed CPAP devices have the potential to reduce injuries and disfigurement in this vulnerable population.
Aim:
We sought to identify the most feasible portable 3D scanner for use in the neonatal intensive care environment towards the development of custom-fitting CPAP devices for premature infants.
Methods:
Four handheld 3D scanners were assessed and compared, Artec Leo, Revopoint POP 2, iPad Pro/Metascan, and iPhone/Scandy Pro. Trained neonatal clinicians (medical and nursing) undertook mock scans in a simulated neonatal intensive care environment.
Results:
Sixty scans were performed by 13 neonatal clinicians (four medical/nurse practitioners and nine nurses). The median mean absolute error was 0.21 mm (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.19-0.26), 0.17 mm (IQR: 0.15-0.21), and 1.08 mm (IQR: 1.0-1.63) for Artec Leo, Revopoint POP 2, and Scandy Pro, respectively. Scan times were the quickest for Artec Leo at 22.9 sec (IQR: 18.5-27), followed by Revopoint POP 2 at 25.2 sec (IQR: 22-34.4). Artec Leo was rated most expensive, but Revopoint POP 2 was rated more ergonomic. Both app-based 3D scanners (Metascan and Scandy Pro) presented data security issues.
Conclusions:
Artec Leo and Revopoint POP 2 were identified as most feasible for use to perform 3D scans on premature infants in the neonatal intensive care environment.
