Welcome to this week's Top Ten, featuring some exciting STL files and medical models, many of which you can download and print using your own 3D printing machine. When you upload your organ STL files to embodi3d®, you are helping researchers, students, and inquisitive minds everywhere to develop innovative diagnostic, interventional, and surgical techniques. 

Medical 3D printing can be used to create centimeter- to sub-millimeter-accurate models. These include the hearts, lungs, kidney, and colon featured in this week's Top Ten, but can be used to create just about any type of 3D organ or tissue model. The democratiz3D® conversion algorithms used on the embodi3D® website are sophisticated enough to recreate the cellular arrangements of various tissues and organs, but are straightforward enough to be used by just about everyone. Even the complex anatomy of the heart can be successfully replicated using various pliable 3D printing materials. These models could serve a future role in preoperative planning, medical education, and enhanced communication between radiologists and others involved in patient care.

The prospect of 3D medical models being used to advance research and educational knowledge is truly exciting. We're glad to have you along to share in the experience of this rapidly developing science and art form. But, to receive much of what embodi3D® has to offer you have to register on the website. But, signing up is absolutely free.

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Remember to register on embodi3D.com so you can upload, download, share, and create stunningly realistic 3D models of hearts, lungs, mandibles, and just about anything having to do with the human anatomy. Plus, it is absolutely free to become a registered member.

#1. 3D-Printable Model of Human Heart in Tissue Slices

Dr. Mike created and submitted this 3D-printable human heart, separated into stackable slices for educational purposes. This STL file originated from a contrast-enhanced CT scan. The embodi3D® community was very excited about this model; it demonstrates the complex anatomy of the heart in a way that can be held, studied, taken apart, and put back together — all activities real-life patients would rather you not try with their own hearts. Representing some of the best uses of medical 3D printing on the embodi3D.com website, this downloadable STL file has earned a rightful place on this week's Top 10 downloads list. 

#2. Create a 3D Model of a Heart and Pulmonary Artery Tree

This anatomically accurate heart and pulmonary artery tree was extracted from a CT angiogram DICOM dataset (0.4 mm slice thickness x 300 slices). This model may serve as an excellent, hands-on educational tool for those entering the medical profession. The uploaded STL files shows the aorta, coronary sinus, coronary arteries, pulmonary arteries, as well as the cardiac ventricles and atria. A special "thank you" goes out to Health Physics for contributing this magnificent file!

#3. Full-Size Model of a Human Heart

Number 3 on our list is a 3D-printable model of a full-size human heart. Using this STL file, you can create a scale model of a heart, complete with all the complex cardiac anatomy. You will achieve the best results by using a flexible medium when completing  your 3D print. Please note: This model has yet to be fully optimized for 3D printing. Therefore, some issues related to minimum wall thickness can be expected. 

#4. Great Example of a 3D-Printable, Anatomically Accurate Human Heart

Dr. Marco Vettorello graciously created and shared this highly accurate human heart STL file, ready for use in your 3D printer. Thank you, Dr. Vettorello!

#5. 3D-Print and Compare a Healthy Lung to a Lung with COPD

Lung tissue inflammation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes it difficult to fully expel air and creates an obstruction in breathing in fresh air. To compare the three STL files of a lung with COPD, embodi3D® has also uploaded three files of a healthy lung.

Chronic obstruction pulmonary disease chronic lung disease is often caused by long-term exposure to particulates, cigarette smoke, harmful gases, and other irritants. Those with COPD are at a higher risk of developing heart disease, lung cancer, and a number of other life-threatening conditions.   

#6. Have a Heart... in a Medical 3D Printing-Ready Format!

We'd like to say a special "thank you" to the creators of this 3D-printable heart file, Dr. Beth Ripley and Dr. Tatiana, who have graciously shared this 3D-printable human heart in STL format. This file originally appeared in the "Top 10 Killers" list. While it appears in sixth place for this week's chart, the cardiac events we collectively refer to as "heart disease" remain the developed world's top "killer" and these files should serve to remind us why this type of research is so important — not only to the medical community, but the many patients cardiovascular disease affect each day.

#7. 3D-Print a Lung with Pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in many parts of the world. This inflammatory condition affects the microscopic alveoli (tiny air sacs) of the lungs, which leads to coughing, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. The 3D-printable files uploaded in STL format feature the lung, airways, and detailed imaging of the alveoli.

#8. Compare Healthy and Diseased Kidneys by Creating a 3D Model

Chronic kidney disease (chronic renal disease) presently affects around 26 million American adults, with many others at risk of developing this devastating disease. The STL files uploaded for your medical 3D printing use allow you to compare a healthy kidney to one with chronic renal disease. These are available in a format that is ready to be 3D-printed to create your three-dimensional model.

#9. Create a 3D Model of a Human Colon with this STL File

Surgical procedures, such as hemorrhoidectomies, require a surgeon with a solid grasp of three-dimensional human anatomy. By uploading and sharing medical 3D printing-ready files, such as this colon extracted from a CT DICOM dataset (0.8 mm slice thickness x 467 slices), those entering the profession can acquire this essential knowledge outside the confines of the operating room. Available for educational purposes, this 3D model includes the cecum, appendix, and overall layout of the small and large bowel.

#10. A democratiz3D®-Created, 3D-Printable STL File of a Human Right Kidney

Dr. Mike uploaded this printable STL file of a human kidney (right side), showing all the nuances of the kidney and renal collecting system in clear, stunning detail. Dr. Mike used the democratiz3D® premium tissue algorithms to bring out all the details of the kidney. Sharing 3D-printable files is just one of the many ways users are creating the future of preoperative planning and surgical performance. 

References

1. Zheng, B., Wang, X., Zheng, Y., & Feng, J. (2018). 3D-printed model improves clinical assessment of surgeons on anatomy. Journal of robotic surgery, 1-7.