3-D printouts of the tracheobronchial tree generated from CT images as an aid to management in a case of tracheobronchial chondromalacia caused by relapsing polychondritis.

Abstract

This report concerns a 67 year old male patient with known advanced relapsing polychondritis complicated by tracheobronchial chondromalacia who is increasingly symptomatic and therapeutic options such as tracheostomy and stenting procedures are being considered. The DICOM files from the patient's dynamic chest CT in its inspiratory and expiratory phases were used to generate stereolithography (STL) files and hence print out 3-D models of the patient's trachea and central airways. The 4 full-sized models allowed better understanding of the extent and location of any stenosis or malacic change and should aid any planned future stenting procedures. The future possibility of using the models as scaffolding to generate a new cartilaginous upper airway using regenerative medical techniques is also discussed.

• Authors: Matthew David Tam, Stephen David Laycock, David Jayne, Judith Babar, Brendon Noble
• Journal: Journal of radiology case reports (J Radiol Case Rep) Vol. 7 Issue 8 Pg. 34-43 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1943-0922 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24421951 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Aged
• Humans
• Imaging, Three-Dimensional
• Male
• Photography
• Polychondritis, Relapsing (complications, diagnostic imaging)
• Recurrence
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Tracheobronchomalacia (diagnostic imaging, etiology, therapy)