Polymer 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions provider Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS) announced on Monday that it is collaborating with healthcare technology company Siemens Healthineers in a pioneering research project to advance medical imaging phantoms for computed tomography (CT) imaging.

CT phantoms, crucial in medical imaging, simulate human body characteristics to evaluate CT scanner performance. The joint project uses Stratasys' PolyJet technology and RadioMatrix technology, along with Siemens Healthineers' advanced algorithm, aiming to create tailored phantoms with ultra-realistic human anatomy characteristics.

This collaboration may revolutionise medical phantom utilisation, potentially replacing human cadavers with 3D printed structures, providing efficiencies and minimising human variability.

The research will produce valuable data for advancing CT system algorithms, materials development and unlocking new application areas. The phased project starts with 3D printed phantoms for head and neck anatomies, leading to a Phase One endpoint of 3D printing a heart model and an entire human torso with complete radiographic accuracy.