Page 97 - IJB-9-4

International Journal of Bioprinting

RESEARCH ARTICLE
3D-Printed multi-material liver model with

simultaneous mechanical and radiological
tissue-mimicking features for improved realism

Laszlo Jaksa *, Othniel James Aryeetey , Sepideh Hatamikia ,
1,4
1,2
2,3
Katharina Nägl , Martin Buschmann , Dieter H. Pahr , Gernot Kronreif ,
1
5,6
2,3
2,3
Andrea Lorenz 1
1 Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology (ACMIT), Wiener Neustadt, Austria
2 Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics, Technical University of Vienna,
Vienna, Austria
3 Department of Biomechanics, Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences, Krems an
der Donau, Austria
4 Research Center for Medical Image Analysis and Artificial Intelligence (MIAAI), Department of
Medicine, Danube Private University, Krems an der Donau, Austria
5 Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
6 University Hospital Vienna (AKH), Vienna, Austria

Abstract

Anatomic models have an important role in the medical domain. However, soft tissue
mechanical properties’ representation is limited in mass-produced and 3D-printed
models. In this study, a multi-material 3D printer was used to print a human liver model
featuring tuned mechanical and radiological properties, with the goal of comparing
*Corresponding author:
Laszlo Jaksa the printed model with its printing material and real liver tissue. The main target was
(laszlo.jaksa@acmit.at) mechanical realism, while radiological similarity was a secondary objective. Materials
Citation: Jaksa L, Aryeetey OJ, and internal structure were selected such that the printed model would resemble liver
Hatamikia S, et al., 2023, 3D-Printed tissue in terms of tensile properties. The model was printed at 33% scaling and 40%
multi-material liver model with gyroid infill with a soft silicone rubber, and silicone oil as a filler fluid. After printing,
simultaneous mechanical and
radiological tissue-mimicking the liver model underwent CT scanning. Since the shape of the liver is incompatible
features for improved realism. with tensile testing, tensile testing specimens were also printed. Three replicates
Int J Bioprint, 9(4): 721. were printed with the same internal structure as the liver model and three more out
https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.721
of silicone rubber with 100% rectilinear infill to allow a comparison. All specimens
Received: December 20, 2022 were tested in a four-step cyclic loading test protocol to compare elastic moduli and
Accepted: January 22, 2023 dissipated energy ratios. The fluid-filled and full-silicone specimens had initial elastic
Published Online: March 28, 2023
moduli of 0.26 MPa and 0.37 MPa, respectively, and featured dissipated energy ratios
Copyright: © 2023 Author(s). of 0.140, 0.167, 0.183, and 0.118, 0.093, 0.081, respectively, in the second, third, and
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the fourth loading cycles. The liver model showed 225 ± 30 Hounsfield units (HU) in CT,
Creative Commons Attribution which is closer to real human liver (70 ± 30 HU) than the printing silicone (340 ± 50 HU).
License, permitting distribution Results suggest that the liver model became more realistic in terms of mechanical and
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is radiological properties with the proposed printing approach as opposed to printing
properly cited. only with silicone rubber. Thus, it has been demonstrated that this printing method
Publisher’s Note: Whioce enables new customization opportunities in the field of anatomic models.
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Keywords: Anatomic model; Additive manufacturing; Liver; Silicone; 3D printing
affiliations.

Volume 9 Issue 4 (2023) 89 https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.721