CT or MRI to
3D-print

Dicom to STL

Background

With the data from a CT or MRI-scan it is interesting to examine it in a 3D software and finally make a 3D-printout. Great to have when planning or making an fixtur before an operation.
After a CT-scan I asked for the data and received a DVD with the scanned data as DICOM files. These are just flat 2D "X-ray" images.

Workflows

Two different (free) workflows, 1 Cloud or 2 Local computer calculations on Mac or PC
I have built on this very good tutorial: 3D Printing in Medicine by Dr. Mike

And of course there are several other different workflows for making a 3D-print out of CT or MRI dicom files then this!
So Links and resources is last on this page. There you can find some more alternative workflows :)

1. Cloud

Use of External Web application (only CT) click here

  • Much easier, less fiddling with the segmentation

  • Faster to result when inexperienced

Dicom (CT, MRI-2D files) -> NRRD-file (anonymized ) -> Cloud computing (Embodi3D) -> Mesh (STL 3D-model) -> repair, adjust -> make a 3D-print

Step by step guide here

2 Local computer

Use of your Local Computer click here for video

  • Full control of the files and

  • more possibilities when doing the segmentation

Dicom (CT, MRI-2D files) -> Mesh (STL 3D-model) -> repair, adjust -> make a 3D-print

Step by step guide here

Youtube video

If Workflow 1 or 2 above is not enough then just dig deeper with these external resources! See below.

Links and resources

Dicom friendly 3D-softwares

3D-printing friendly softwares

Tutorials:

Articles:

Youtube Tutorials:

3D Slicer

InVesalius 3

Embodi3D, democratiz3D (Cloud computing)

MeshLab

Download 3D-models (spine, skeleton...)

Some external links for a free Quote calculation