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Additive manufacturing (i.e. 3D printing) offers transformative potential in the development of biomedical devices and medical imaging systems, but at the same time presents challenges that continue to limit widespread adoption. Within medical imaging, 3D printing has numerous applications including device design, radiographic collimation, anthropomorphic phantoms, and surgical visualization. Continuous technological development has resulted in improved plastic materials as well as high-throughput fabrication in medical-grade metal alloys. Nonetheless, additive manufacturing has not realized its full potential, due to a number of factors. The regulatory environment for medical devices is geared towards conventional manufacturing techniques, making it challenging to certify 3D-printed devices. Additive manufacturing may still not be competitive when scaled up for industrial production, and the need for post-processing may negate some of the benefits. In this talk, we will describe the current state of 3D printing in medical imaging and explore future potential, including links to 3D design and finite-element modeling.
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