Every year tens of millions of dollars are spent by patients and their insurance companies on expensive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The scans can be time consuming, as well as a pain in the neck to sit through. Another medical imaging technology, commonly used, is the computed tomography (CT) scan. These scans are not only expensive, but they also direct a great deal of radiation towards the body.

Materialise, a company headquartered in Leuven, Belgium is looking to change some of this. Yesterday they announced the launch of a new release of their Mimics Innovation Suite. This includes Mimics 17.0 and 3-matic 9.0 software solutions. One of the key features within this update is the X-ray module. With this module, engineers and surgeons can determine the 3D position of a patient’s bones and implants at multiple time points without the need for multiple CT or MRI scans. They do this by combining 3D modalities with the X-Ray images, opening up a whole slew of possibilities within the medical field. Researchers looking to improve clinical outcomes can now better study the anatomy under different conditions and evaluate how well a surgical planning was translated in the patient. More information on the X-Ray module can be found in this video below:

Another added feature to Materialise’s new software suite, is the addition of a new Pulmonary module. This update allows for more anatomical information taken from lung CT scans. According to an update issued by Materialise late yesterday, “This flexible, fast and user-friendly solution facilitaties the accurate segmentation of the lower respiratory system for advanced research and analyses. Though segmenting the pulmonary system has always been possible in Mimics, the new module offers improved outcome parameters, that enable the early detection of diseases and the innovation of options for localized therapies.”

Materialise, who announced that they had filed for an initial public offering in the United States on April 2nd, continues to expand on their 3D software offerings, while also growing to have the largest single site capacity of additive manufacturing equipment in all of Europe. The medical field is one that will rely heavily on 3D modelling and printing solutions, placing Materialise in an outstanding position for further growth. Discuss this update to the Mimics software suite at 3DPB.com.

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