Method for making a perfected medical model on the basis of digital image information of a part of the body

• US 5,768,134 A
• Filed: 10/18/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Materialise Naamloze Vennootschap
• Original Assignee: Materialise Naamloze Vennootschap
• Inventors: Swaelens, Bart, Vancraen, Wilfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Reba I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US08/722,155
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468.03, 364/468.04, 364/468.25-468.27, 364/474.05, 364/474.24, 395/118-120, 395/124, 623/901, 623/11, 623/16, 128/653.1, 345/419, 345/420, 345/424, 433/201.1-204
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0004 Computer-assisted sizing or machining of dental prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/0013 using stereolithographic techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0046 Data acquisition means or methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30942 for designing or making customized prostheses, e.g. using templates, CT or NMR scans, finite-element analysis or CAD-CAM techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/389 Tibial components A61F2/3868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30952 using CAD-CAM techniques or NC-techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30962 using stereolithography
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30985 using three dimensional printing [3DP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/00 Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the special shape of the product
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 Method of manufacturing prosthetic device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/912 Method or apparatus for measuring or testing prosthetic

Abstract

A method is set fourth for making a perfected medical model on the basis of digital image information of a part of the body. According to which this image information of a part of the body is converted, by means of what is called the rapid prototyping technique and thus with a processing unit (4) and a rapid prototyping machine (5), into a basic model (9) of which at least a part perfectly shows the positive or negative form of at least a portion of the part of the body. At least an artificial functional element (10) with a useful function is added to the basic model (6) as a function of the digital information and possibly as a function of additional external information.

Claims

1. In a method of making a medical model from digital information corresponding to a part of a human body wherein the digital information is used to generate information for rapid prototyping of the model, the improvement comprising:

adding to the digital information data related to at least one artificial functional element having a useful function related to a physical parameter and based on image information in the form in which all medical data are visible and including grey value image information, before segmentation;

carrying out the rapid prototyping of the model using the digital information with the added data whereby the medical model includes said artificial functional element.

2. The method according to claim 1, including, as part of said adding to the digital information step, adding external information from a source separate from the digital information.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said external information is used in the form of voxel or contour information.

4. The method according to claim 1, including processing at least said artificial image data used in producing said model using a voxel oriented computer system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said functional element is selected from the group consisting of shape, color and texture.

6. The method according to claim 1, including rapid prototyping the model in the form of a reference part contoured to match a part of the body;

and in said step of adding data related to at least one artificial functional element, adding data related to a guide for an instrument to be used on the body part, whereby the reference part will contain such guide.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said medical model comprises a reference part for use in a dental implant preparation procedure, and said image data is derived at least in part from a dental scan.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said model corresponds to a portion of bone on which additional bone is to be generated to a preselected height and includes as the artificial functional element the additional height corresponding to the additional bone to be generated;

and using the model to form a metal foil and membrane including said additional height.

9. The method according to claim 8, including using the image data to form an added functional element of a notch in the model corresponding to the location of an implant to be placed in the bone before using the model to form said metal foil and membrane.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the medical model is a positive model made by rapid prototyping using the digital information and the image data to make a positive mold containing the functional element;

and then making a negative mold of the part of the human body with the functional element by using the positive mold.