Purpose or Case Report:
Effective text-based communication, through radiologist reports, of imaging findings in term Hypoxic Ischemic Injury (HII) to family members, non-radiologist colleagues and members of the legal profession can be extremely challenging. Utilization of 3D printed models, where the actual findings of the brain can be communicated via tactile perception and rotating/grasping the models is a potential solution which has not been tested in practice. We aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of different groups, comprising trained radiologists, non-radiologist physicians and non-physicians, in the detection of gross disease of the cerebral cortex from 3D printed brain models derived from MRI scans of children.
Methods & Materials:
10 MRI scans in children of varying ages with either watershed pattern HII (cortical injury) or basal-ganglia-thalamus HII pattern with limited peri-Rolandic cortical abnormalities as well as 2 normal MRI scans were post processed and underwent 3D printing. 71 participants reviewed the 12 models together and were required to indicate only the brain models that they felt were abnormal with a degree of confidence. The 71 participants included in the study were: 38 lay-people (54%), 17 radiographic technologists (24%), 6 nurses (8%), 5 general Radiologists (7%), 4 Non-Radiologist Physicians [3 Pediatricians+1 Neurologist] (6%) and 1 Other (EMS) (1%). The sensitivity and specificity for detecting the abnormal brains of the 71 participants was calculated.
Results:
Radiologists (n=5) showed the highest sensitivity and specificity (72% and 70% respectively). Non-radiologist Physicians (n=4) had a sensitivity of 67.5% and a specificity of 75%. Nurses (n=6) had a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 41.7%. Lay (non-medical trained) people (n=38) had a sensitivity of 56.1% and a specificity of 55.3%. The LS means based on occupation was 0.71 for radiologists and non-radiologist physicians, and 0.56 for Lay people.
Conclusions:
Radiologists’ high sensitivity and specificity of 72% and 70% respectively, validates the accuracy of the models of reproducing abnormalities from MRI scans to 3D prints. Lay people, without any prior training or guidance in looking at the models, had a sensitivity and specificity of 56.1% and 55.3% respectively. The results show the potential of usage of the 3D printed brains as an alternate form of communication for conveying the pathological findings of HII of the brain to laypeople.