A 3D printed heart helps surgeons rethink their strategy and make better surgical decisions. Using MRI as a guide doctors can build an accurate and detailed 3D printable model of the heart. The model allowed the surgeon to understand the internal structure and make appropriate plans prior to surgery.  The silver-colored disks inside the model are magnets used to hold the pieces together.  Holding and examining a printed model enables experts to detect and understand important characteristics that are not discernable through visualization.  The Medical Working Group continues to pursue many important initiatives to improve medical discovery and diagnosis.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data used with permission
Electronic model: ©2016, Bramlet, MT. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commerical-No-Derivatives
Printed model: Public Domain: created 2016 by National Institues of Health
Photographs: ©2016, Amela Sadagic, used by permission