Factibilidad y precisión de la impresión 3D a través de ecocardiografía transtorácica 3D en pacientes pediátricos

Abstract

Introduction and objectives

Three-dimensional (3D) printing applied to cardiology has demonstrated its usefulness, supporting the planning of surgical and interventional procedures, especially for congenital heart disease. Although printed models have been documented using transesophageal echocardiography images, this technique has limitations in small pediatric patients. The objective was to determine the feasibility and accuracy of digital and printed 3D models obtained from the acquisition of transthoracic images in pediatric patients with ventricular septal defect.

Methods

Five pediatric patients with different locations of the defect were studied. Echocardiographic data were extracted, images processed, segmentation conducted, designs optimized, and models printed; the morphology, diameters of the defect, and their spatial relationships were analyzed.

Results

The correlation between the measurements obtained from 3D echocardiography and the digital 3D models and printed models was high (correlation coefficients of 0.953 and 0.952, respectively). The mean absolute difference between the values obtained by 3D echocardiography and the digital 3D models was 0.064 mm, while the mean absolute difference between the values obtained by 3D echocardiography and the printed models was 0.644 mm. There were no statistically significant differences between echocardiography and the models.

Conclusions

3D digital and printed models obtained from transthoracic echocardiographic data in pediatric patients are technically feasible and accurately reflect the morphology, spatial relationships, and dimensions of the different types of ventricular septal defect. However, the visualization of the models may vary according to the location of the defect, with muscle defects being easier to represent compared to perimembranous defects.