@article {18985, title = {3D segmentation of intervertebral discs: From concept to the fabrication of patient-specific scaffolds}, journal = {Journal of 3D Printing in Medicine}, volume = {1}, year = {2017}, month = {2017-03-03 00:00:00}, pages = {91-101}, publisher = {Future Medicine}, abstract = {

Aim: To develop a methodology for producing patient-specific scaffolds that mimic the annulus fibrosus (AF) of the human intervertebral disc (IVD) by means of combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 3D bioprinting.

Methods: In order to obtain the AF 3D model from patient{\textquoteright}s volumetric MRI dataset, the RheumaSCORE segmentation software was used. Polycaprolactone scaffolds with three different internal architectures were fabricated by 3D bioprinting, and characterized by micro-computed tomography.

Results: The demonstrated methodology of a geometry reconstruction pipeline enabled to successfully obtain an accurate AF model and 3D print patient-specific scaffolds with different internal architectures.

Conclusion: The results guide us towards patient-specific IVD tissue engineering as demonstrated a way of manufacturing personalized scaffolds using patient{\textquoteright}s MRI data.

}, keywords = {3D bioprinting, intervertebral disc, MRI segmentation, patient-specific approach, Rapid prototyping, Reverse Engineering, Tissue engineering}, issn = {2059-4755}, doi = {10.2217/3dp-2016-0011}, url = {http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/3dp-2016-0011}, author = {Oner, T. and Cengiz, I. F. and Pitikakis, M. and Cesario, L. and Parascandolo, P. and Vosilla, L. and Viano, G. and Oliveira, J. M. and Reis, R. L. and Silva-Correia, J.} }