From patient to model: stereolithographic modeling of the cerebral vasculature based on rotational angiography.

We developed a method to produce tubular in vitro models of the cerebral vessels from real patient data. Three-dimensional data sets obtained from patients undergoing rotational angiography were used for stereolithographic biomodeling by using rapid prototyping technology. In a second step, tubular reproductions of the cerebral vessels were obtained by using the lost-wax technique. These reproductions can be useful for hemodynamic research and for the development and preclinical evaluation of new endovascular treatment methods.