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Three-Dimensionally Printed, On-Demand, Patient-Specific Breast Models to Support Mastectomy Gross Examination: A
Panagiotis Kousidis1, Antonia Syrnioti1, Foteini Pavlidou2
1Pathology Department, "Theageneio" Anticancer Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GRC.
Cureus
|July 19, 2026
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) printing of patient-specific breast models from MRI scans can aid pathologists in gross examination. These low-cost, quick models improve tumor localization and spatial understanding, especially for complex cases.
Area of Science:
- Medical imaging and pathology
- 3D printing applications in medicine
- Surgical pathology workflow optimization
Background:
- Accurate gross examination of mastectomy specimens is crucial for cancer staging and treatment.
- Radiologic-pathologic spatial discordance complicates specimen assessment, particularly in multifocal tumors and post-neoadjuvant therapy.
- Current methods may lack precise spatial correlation between preoperative imaging and specimen anatomy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using patient-specific 3D-printed breast models derived from MRI for macroscopic assessment.
- To explore the potential of 3D models in improving tumor localization and spatial understanding in surgical pathology.
- To assess the time, cost, and material usage of producing these 3D models.
Main Methods:
- Two representative breast MRI datasets (unifocal and multifocal cancer) were selected.
- Breast contours and lesions were segmented; anatomical labels and protruding lines indicated lesion location.
- Models were 3D printed using polylactic acid (PLA) filament, sectioned sagittally, and cost-analyzed.
Main Results:
- Patient-specific 3D breast models were successfully produced from MRI data in modest time and at low cost.
- Models provided spatial orientation and aided in visualizing tumor location relative to breast anatomy.
- Pareto analysis identified optimal print time and material use trade-offs for multi-tumor models.
Conclusions:
- MRI-derived 3D-printed breast models are a viable, cost-effective tool for pathology workflows.
- These models can enhance spatial orientation, tumor bed localization, and margin sampling, especially in challenging cases.
- Further validation is needed for integration into clinical decision support systems.
