RTsafe, a modern radiation oncology company, was founded in 2014 by a team of medical physics professors. The company is dedicated to creating a world where every radiotherapy intervention can be tested on a personalized phantom before a real patient.
By partnering with 3D Systems, RTsafe was able to develop the PseudoPatient® — a personalized head and brain tissue replica — and offer it to hospitals and radiotherapy professionals. This innovation has powered new research and supported better training with the goal of improving the safety and efficacy of treatments.
The Challenge
Traditional manufacturing unable to meet personalization needs
RTsafe was facing significant challenges in realizing its mission, specifically in creating realistic, patient-specific models for quality assurance in radiation oncology. Traditional methods, with their one-size-fits-all approach, lacked the precision and adaptability necessary for modern radiotherapy.
“More than 15% of cranial SRS treatments are not as safe and effective as they could be. There’s significant room for greater safety and efficiency — and we believe novel, patient-specific solutions can take us there.”
- Evangelos Pappas, founder of RTsafe
The Solution
Leveraging innovative techniques and materials
RTsafe partnered with 3D Systems to develop the PseudoPatient, an FDA-cleared solution where a 3D-printed replica of a patient’s head and brain tissue is used to address the gaps created by previous treatment methods. By testing treatments on an anatomical model of their patient’s brain, radiotherapy professionals can evaluate interventions, identifying risks before applying treatment.
The PseudoPatient is being pioneered as a point-of-care solution at hospitals and care centers. Through CT scanning, radiotherapy professionals map a patient’s unique head and brain structure. Then, they design a model that will be comprised of 3D Systems’ VisiJet M2R-CL and Accura ClearVue materials to mimic bone and brain tissue. The model is printed using the ProJet MJP 2500 Plus and ProJet 7000 printers to create the PseudoPatient. With these accurate anatomical and radiological copies, medical teams can ‘treat’ the PseudoPatient as if it were the actual patient.
"Before using these 3D-printed models, our team struggled with the inconsistencies and limitations of traditional quality assurance phantoms,” said Professor Anna Zygogianni, a leading radiation oncologist at the University of Athens. “The PseudoPatient has transformed our approach, allowing us to conduct more accurate simulations, significantly improve our treatment planning, and help to ensure safe and efficient radiotherapy.”
Streamlining production
By collaborating with 3D Systems, RTsafe has streamlined their production, powering their clinical expertise with 3D Systems' technological capabilities. This partnership has resulted in quicker production turnaround times that make the PseudoPatient readily accessible to medical institutions worldwide.
“With this 3D Systems printing solution, we’ve been able to produce PseudoPatient faster than ever before. We believe in this as a pivotal innovation that will allow medical facilities everywhere to raise their standards of cancer treatment."
- Evangelos Pappas
Pioneering new applications
Not only useful for testing personalized treatment plans, the PseudoPatient has also shown tremendous potential as a highly realistic training tool for radiotherapy professionals and students, as well as a model for developing and testing new treatment protocols. The latter use case ensures that pioneering techniques get thoroughly vetted before physicians begin using them on real patients.
“It’s an ‘everybody wins’ scenario,” Pappas shares. “Patients get treatment plans that can be vetted beforehand. So, they see better outcomes, fewer side effects, and a higher quality of life. For clinicians, the benefit is increased confidence and control — which typically means less risk and a better reputation for their practice. Clinics get to advertise a truly unique patient experience.”
Looking ahead, RTsafe and 3D Systems are continuing to explore new possibilities for innovation — including using patient-specific models like the PseudoPatient for other medical disciplines such as neurosurgery and orthopedics.
The collaboration between RTsafe and 3D Systems shows that additive manufacturing has incredible potential to push cancer treatment forward. By pooling expertise and experience, medical companies like RTsafe can leverage AM technology to develop innovative and life-saving treatments like the PseudoPatient — and bring a better quality of care to patients everywhere.
