Case-specific 3D-printed temporal bone model pipeline (CBCT imaging, VESTool segmentation, STL printing)

Design · All designs
Evidence · no claims cited

Description

The article describes a manufacturing pipeline for case-specific 3D-printed temporal bone models: cadaveric temporal bones were scanned on a cone-beam CT scanner, DICOM data were imported into "VESTool (in-house software for 3D segmentation)", which resampled the virtual models to 0.2 mm voxel size and segmented the bony volume using "interactive and localized thresholding features with minimal manual effort required"; models were exported as STL files and 3D-printed with identical specifications, then individually drilled to validate accuracy against CT imaging data.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• Requires CBCT imaging of the target bone, segmentation software, 3D printing, and quality control by test drilling to validate accuracy against imaging data

Constraints

• The authors state manufacturing case-specific models requires considerably more resources and effort than standard models, with 1–4 h spent per model, making routine use unlikely to be cost-effective for initial training until automation reduces manual steps

Target Learners

• ORL residents in simulation-based temporal bone training

Learning Goals

• rehearsal and planning of mastoidectomy on patient-specific anatomy

Claims

Related Designs

Examples

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Key Sources

• Omari Adam, Nøhr Anders, Suleiman Elissa, Cayé‑Thomasen Per, Sørensen Mads Sølvsten, Frithioff Andreas, Andersen Steven Arild Wuyts. (2026). Effect of case-specific 3D-printed models on surgical performance in cadaveric dissection—a randomized controlled trial. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-026-10099-x

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	design
id	case-specific-3d-printed-tb-model-pipeline
title	Case-specific 3D-printed temporal bone model pipeline (CBCT imaging, VESTool segmentation, STL printing)
description	The article describes a manufacturing pipeline for case-specific 3D-printed temporal bone models: cadaveric temporal bones were scanned on a cone-beam CT scanner, DICOM data were imported into "VESTool (in-house softw...
status	review
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-04
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — omari-adam-2026

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