Early experiences of planning stereotactic radiosurgery using 3D printed models of eyes with uveal melanomas

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the use of 3D printed model of an eye with intraocular tumor for linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery. METHODS: The software for segmentation (3D Slicer) created virtual 3D model of eye globe with tumorous mass based on tissue density from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging data. A virtual model was then processed in the slicing software (Simplify3D(®)) and printed on 3D printer using fused deposition modeling technology. The material that was used for printing was polylactic acid. RESULTS: In 2015, stereotactic planning scheme was optimized with the help of 3D printed model of the patient’s eye with intraocular tumor. In the period 2001–2015, a group of 150 patients with uveal melanoma (139 choroidal melanoma and 11 ciliary body melanoma) were treated. The median tumor volume was 0.5 cm(3) (0.2–1.6 cm(3)). The radiation dose was 35.0 Gy by 99% of dose volume histogram. CONCLUSION: The 3D printed model of eye with tumor was helpful in planning the process to achieve the optimal scheme for irradiation which requires high accuracy of defining the targeted tumor mass and critical structures.