3D Printed Medical Artifacts for Radiation Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional approach to radiation therapy requires multiple patient visits, increased costs due to external manufacturer involvement, and time losses associated with shipping artifacts, which are not cost-effective and efficient.
Innovation Solution
Three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques are used to generate customized fixation devices and boluses directly on-site, utilizing patient image data to create artifacts that can be fabricated during treatment, reducing the need for external manufacturers and enabling rapid modification and recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing processes are used with external manufacturers, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but loss of time and productivity deteriorate due to multiple patient visits and shipping delays
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment center performs artifact manufacturing itself using in-house 3D printers, eliminating the need to send designs to external manufacturers. The system serves its own manufacturing needs by integrating design software and 3D printing capability directly at the treatment location, thus eliminating shipping time and multiple patient visits while maintaining customization precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Artifacts are manufactured in advance during the same patient visit when the treatment plan is finalized. The 3D printer operates during the patient's wait time or between treatment sessions, so the artifact is ready before the actual treatment begins, eliminating post-manufacturing delays and additional patient visits.
2Manufacturing precision
If external manufacturers are involved, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The external manufacturer is extracted from the supply chain, and the manufacturing function is transferred to the treatment center. This eliminates the complex interface between treatment planners and external manufacturers, including design file transmission, quality verification, and revision cycles, while maintaining design accuracy through integrated software.
Solution Approach 2:
The design and manufacturing functions are merged into a single integrated system at the treatment center. The treatment planning software directly generates 3D printer instructions, and the 3D printer immediately manufactures the artifact, eliminating the separate manufacturing step performed by external vendors and simplifying the overall process.
3Manufacturing precision
If artifacts are manufactured externally and shipped, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but productivity decreases due to shipping time and storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment center manufactures its own artifacts using in-house 3D printers, eliminating the need to ship artifacts to and from external manufacturers. This self-sufficiency eliminates shipping time and the need for storage facilities, while maintaining manufacturing precision through calibrated printing systems and quality control protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
Artifacts are manufactured fresh for each treatment session or patient visit and can be discarded after use, eliminating the need for long-term storage and retrieval of artifacts. This on-demand manufacturing approach improves productivity by eliminating storage management and artifact retrieval time, while maintaining precision through consistent manufacturing processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for on-site fabrication of patient-specific artifacts, reducing costs, saving time, and enabling immediate modification, thus streamlining the radiation therapy process while eliminating the need for storage and external manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
A 3D printer is controlled using the printing plan to build an object that corresponds to the design
Data Source
AI summary
An artifact for radiation therapy is produced by accessing image data comprising images including a target volume inside a patient. A design for the artifact is generated based on the image data. The design is customized to a radiation therapy treatment plan for the patient. A printing plan is generated based on the design. A three-dimensional printer is controlled using the printing plan to build an object that corresponds to the design.