Thoracic Aorta

thingiverse

These are life-sized, magnetic resonance image-generated replicas of two enlargements in the ascending aorta (the portion of the aorta that increases in size compared to normal individuals). Both result from congenitally occurring bicuspid aortic valves. One has mock-ups installed for understanding the feasibility of creating phantoms with simulated blood flow through MRI imaging. I printed both successfully. The prints turn out well on the Replicator 2X at standard resolution without any rafts or supports. It takes around 2-3 hours to print at full scale with a 10-15% infill setting.