Journal
TRENDS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
Volume 18, Issue 6, Pages 205-210Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE LONDON
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcm.2008.10.002
Keywords
-
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Advances in surgery, interventional techniques, and critical care have allowed more than 90% of children born with structural heart defects to survive into adulthood. In addition, advances in imaging technology continue to raise awareness of hemodynamically significant intracardiac shunt lesions in both adults and children. Adult cardiologists are now faced with the daunting task of caring for patients with complex structural heart lesions, a population subset that at one time was exclusively cared for by pediatric cardiologists and congenital heart disease specialists. Given the wide range of anatomic complexity present in patients with structural heart disease, the definition and anatomic clarification of their structural abnormalities through high-quality noninvasive imaging has become paramount. Current two-dimensional imaging techniques, however, remain limited in their ability to effectively illustrate the complex three-dimensional relationships present in structural heart disease. Rapid prototyping, a process by which three-dimensional digital surface models are converted into physical models, represents the next evolution in advanced image processing and may serve as a means to improve our understanding of the many forms of structural heart disease. Ultimately, the technology may be used to enhance the level of care provided to the growing number of patients with structural heart defects. We recently reviewed the novel cardiovascular application of rapid prototyping. This review examines the expanded applications of rapid prototyping in the care and treatment of adult patients with structural heart disease. (Trends Cardiovasc Med 2008;18:210-216) (c) 2008, Elsevier Inc.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available