Re: Models of the Heart?

From: Joanna Brown (University of Leeds)
Date: Monday, April 3, 1995

From: Joanna Brown (University of Leeds)
To: RP-ML
Date: Monday, April 3, 1995
Subject:  Re: Models of the Heart?
The University of Leeds are part of an EARP (European Action on 
Rapid Prototyping) project to build a model of a heart, led by 
Dr Gerhard Rakhorst, Biomedical Technical Centre, Groningen.  The 
aim was to build a model for testing the fit of heart pumps.  At the 
University of Leeds we have built an initial model using the SLS process 
(Sinterstation 2000).  The model is rough because of the MRI scan 
spacing of 8mm, but it is a start!

A note about scanners - CT scanners are more suitable for obtaining 
data about bone, for soft tissue applications it is better to use MRI.  
Like CT, the MRI data is taken over a period of time.  As the heart is 
constantly moving (we hope!) images are only taken when the heart is 
in a set part of its cycle, hence it takes longer to obtain data for 
the heart than it does with stationary bone.  This is why initially
we used an 8mm scan spacing (with CT the span spacing is often as 
small as 1mm).

I'll be happy to discuss this further if Tom (or anyone else interested
in Heart RP) wishes to contact me.

Joanna Brown

Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics,
University Of Leeds,
Leeds.
LS2 9JT


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