Relationship between infill patterns in 3D printing and Hounsfield Unit

Abstract

Introduction: One of the requirements for a phantom to correctly simulate the human body is that the radiation attenuation of the material used is compatible with the values of its corresponding tissues. The aim of this study is to evaluate the values of Hounsfield Unit (HU) in a 3D printed material in order to verify its compatibility, on tomography, with human tissues, so that it can be used as feedstock for simulators constructed in 3D printers. Methods: Cubes with 2cm of edge were printed using ABS filament with 8 different forms of internal filling. The samples were irradiated by a CT scanner, the measured HUs and their results compared to the literature. Results: Modification of the filling form as well as its percentage influenced the HU values that ranged from -133 to -451. Conclusion: The specific variations of internal fill patterns directly influence the interaction of the material used with the radiation, thus altering the HU values. Despite the variation found, the HU values were sufficient to simulate few tissues in the human body, which requires future studies with new materials that further attenuate the radiation and the range of tissues to be expanded.