Axial3D and GE HealthCare have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding that will see them combine their segmentation and imaging expertise to make 3D printed orthopaedic applications safer and more accessible.
Together, the companies hope to ‘bridge the gap’ between MRI images and 3D patient-specific outputs, offering healthcare professionals ‘insight into patient anatomy’ and ‘paving the way for clinicians to offer more precise diagnoses and treatment planning.’
They will combine GE HealthCare’s MRI-based oZTEo bone imaging application with Axial3D’s FDA-cleared imaging segmentation platform to enable radiation-free 3D visualisations, which can then be used to produce 3D printed patient-specific anatomical models. GE’s oZTEo delivers images of bone morphology, calcification, ossification and fractures to complement MR soft tissue exams with co-registration. It also provides 3D isotropic imaging using a radial ZTE acquisition. Axial3D’s image segmentation platform, meanwhile, automates the conversion process of CT and MRI scans into 3D visualisations, 3D print-ready files and 3D mesh files.
The combination of these technologies, the partners believe, will help to reduce the need for up-front investments in 3D printing equipment, software and personnel, while also ‘transforming’ the way in which clinicians visualise and engage with patient data.
Their ultimate objective, according to the press release announcing the collaboration, is to make patient-specific care an ‘everyday reality’ to ensure patients receive the most advanced and personalised treatments available. They have also noted that a long-term goal of the partnership is to make 3D outputs accessible across various MRI methods in electronic and 3D printed formats.
“We are beyond excited to be collaborating with GE HealthCare on an endeavour that has the potential to transform orthopaedic care,” commented Axial3D founder and Chief Strategy Officer Dan Crawford. “Collaborating with GE HealthCare allows us to forge a path where, in the long run, 3D patient-specific outputs may become standard, offering customers advanced solutions for MRI imaging aimed at enhancing clinical decisions and patient care.”
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Axial3D to bring this innovative solution to healthcare providers,” added Anja Brau, PhD, GM, MR Clinical Solutions & Research Collaborations at GE HealthCare. “This collaboration reinforces our dedication to improving patient care by providing radiation-free, MRI-based solutions for orthopaedic imaging. Our oZTEo imaging applications augments the traditional soft tissue detail of MRI with bone information, from which healthcare providers can generate 3D digital or physical models that aid in surgical planning and patient education.”
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