Additive manufacturing of radiological phantoms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022079547-A1
Application number	US-201917419845-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2019
Priority date	Dec 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A formulation usable as a modeling material formulation in additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object and additive manufacturing methods utilizing same are provided. The formulation comprises one or more curable materials; and a radiopaque material, and features, when hardened, a CT number of at least 100 HU at 70 kV. Objects made by the additive manufacturing method utilizing the formulation are usable as radiological phantoms.

First claim

1 . A modeling material formulation usable in additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object, the formulation comprising:
one or more curable materials; and a radiopaque material, the formulation featuring, when hardened, a CT number of at least 100 HU at 70 kV.

2 . The formulation of claim 1 , featuring, when hardened, a CT number of at least 500 HU at 70 kV, or of at least 1000 HU, or of at least 2000 HU.

3 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional object is a radiological phantom.

4 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing is 3D inkjet printing.

5 . The formulation of claim 1 , featuring a viscosity of from 8 to about 50, or from 8 to about 30, or from 8 to about 25, centipoises at 75° C.

6 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein an amount of said radiopaque material ranges from 5 to 50%, or from 5 to 30%, or from 5 to 25%, by weight of the total weight of the formulation.

7 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said radiopaque material comprises a radiopaque element or a radiopaque compound comprising a radiopaque element.

8 . The formulation of claim 7 , wherein said radiopaque element is selected from iodine, tungsten, tantalum, gadolinium, Yttrium, gold, bismuth and barium.

9 . The formulation of claim 7 , wherein said radiopaque material is barium sulfate.

10 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said radiopaque material is in a form of nanoparticles or a nanopowder, optionally dispersed or dissolved in a liquid carrier.

11 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said radiopaque material is a liquid material having a density of at least 2 grams/cm 3 .

12 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said radiopaque material is a curable material containing one or more curable groups and one or more radiopaque elements or one or more groups containing a radiopaque element.

13 . The formulation of claim 12 , wherein said radiopaque element is selected from bromine and iodine.

14 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said radiopaque material comprises an opaque solid material dispersed in a curable material.

15 . The formulation of claim 14 , wherein said solid opaque material is a metal oxide.

16 . The formulation of claim 1 , wherein said curable materials are UV-curable materials.

17 .- 19 . (canceled)

20 . A method of additive manufacturing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising dispensing at least one modeling material formulation to sequentially form a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to a shape of the object, wherein for at least a portion of said layers, said at least one modeling material formulation is the formulation of claim 1 .

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein said dispensing is via one or more 3D inkjet printing arrays.

22 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising exposing at least a portion of the dispensed layers to a curing condition to thereby obtain a hardened formulation featuring said CT number.

23 . A three-dimensional object comprising, in at least a portion thereof, a hardened material that features a CT number of at least 100 HU at 70 kV, obtained by the method of claim 20 .

24 - 25 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Stratasys Ltd

Inventors

• Dikovsky Daniel
• Ravich Diana
• Levy Avraham
• Klein Ben

Classifications

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/10 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A61B8/587

  Calibration phantoms · CPC title

• A61B6/583 Primary

  using calibration phantoms · CPC title

• G01R33/58

  Calibration of imaging systems, e.g. using test probes {, Phantoms; Calibration objects or fiducial markers such as active or passive RF coils surrounding an MR active material} · CPC title