-i-
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`Smith & Nephew Ex. 1007
`IPR Petition - USP 8,657,827
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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international
`applications under the PCT.
`
`Viet Nam
`
`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgystan
`Democratic People’s Republic
`of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakhstan
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`Mali
`Mongolia
`
`Austria
`Australia
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`Céte d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Czechoslovakia
`Czech Republic
`Germany
`Denmark
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
`
`-ii-
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`Mauritania
`Malawi
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
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`WO 95/28688
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`PCT/BE95/00033
`
`Method for making a perfected medical model on the basis
`of digital image information of a part of the body.
`
`‘The invention concerns a method for making a perfected
`medical model on the basis of digital image information
`of a part of
`the body, according to which this image
`information of a part of the body is converted, by means
`of what
`is called the rapid prototyping technique and
`thus with a processing unit and a rapid prototyping
`machine,
`into a basic model of which at
`least a part
`perfectly shows the positive or negative form of at least
`a part of the part of the body.
`
`By rapid prototyping technique should be understood all
`techniques whereby an object is built layer by layer or
`point per point by adding or hardening material
`(also
`called free-form manufacturing).
`The best
`known
`techniques of
`this type are:
`stereo lithography and
`related techniques, whereby for example a basin with
`liquid synthetic material is selectively cured layer by
`layer by means of a computer-controlled electromagnetic
`beam; selective laser sintering, whereby powder particles
`are sintered by means of an electromagnetic beam or are
`welded together according to a specific pattern; or fused
`deposition modelling, whereby a synthetic material
`is
`fused and is stacked according to a line pattern.
`
`information can be provided by a
`image
`The digital
`computer tomography scanner.
`
`The model produced up to now according to the above-
`mentioned technique, can be a model which is an exact
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`for example a piece of
`the body,
`the part of
`copy of
`bone,
`and
`upon which
`a
`surgery operation can
`be
`practised, or it can be a prosthesis which fits perfectly
`to the part of the body.
`
`including three-
`the models produced up to now,
`However,
`dimensional
`images,
`do not
`take advantage of all
`the
`information contained in the image information.
`They
`form a perfect copy of the part of the body, but they do
`not contain any additional functional elements.
`
`such as an opening indicating the
`Functional elements,
`place and direction for boring, can be added manually,
`but not as a function of the image information. At the
`time when these models are made,
`the grey value data of
`the image information are lost.
`However,
`these grey
`value data contain clinical data which are important for
`the use of
`the models.
`Such clinical data are for
`
`example the muscles and tendons which have to be taken
`into account when designing a prosthesis. These muscles
`and tendons are visible in the images, but not
`in the
`three-dimensional model, nor when working with segmented
`contours/surfaces in CAD-applications.
`
`image data during the
`The manipulation of digital
`preparation of a surgery operation, for example, is known
`as such.
`It is possible, for example,
`to determine the
`position and directionof an implant on the images or to
`simulate surgeries. However, there is no connection with
`reality and, by lack of reference,
`these prepared image
`data cannot be used in practice.
`The image information
`is not used to the full.
`|
`
`As for the application of dental implants, attempts have
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`a provisional
`teeth of
`to use
`already been made
`This provisional prosthesis
`prosthesis as a reference.
`is made on the basis of a mould. With a reconstruction
`
`tomography scanner images on the
`by means of computer
`basis of planes in which the bone is clearly visible,
`_what is called a dental scan, one can see whether the
`. position and the angle of
`the provisional
`teeth are
`correct in relation to the underlying bone, and one can
`make corrections.
`However,
`this is a
`time-consuming
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`method.
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`Sometimes, a template is made on the basis of the mould
`and this template is used during the surgery.
`Only
`surface data are used hereby,
`so that part of
`the
`information of the dental scan remains unused.
`
`Another method consists in making a model of the jaw by
`means of the rapid prototyping technique and to make a
`template on the basis of this model which is used during
`the surgery. The information of the digital image of the
`teeth (the dental scan) cannot be used either with this
`method.
`
`The invention aims to remedy these disadvantages and to
`provide a method for making a perfected medical model on
`the basis of digital
`image information of a body part
`whereby the image information can be optimally used and
`can be put to use in practice.
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`
`This aim is reached according to the invention as at
`
`least a
`
`functional element with a useful
`
`function is
`
`_ added to the basic model, as a function of the digital
`information and possibly as
`a
`function of additional
`external information.
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`By subsequently converting the image with the additional
`information in information for the control of a rapid
`prototyping machine,
`there is a feedback of the medical
`data to reality and a perfected model is obtained which
`does not only have the shape of a certain part of the
`body,
`such as a ragged bone shape, and thus provides a
`perfect
`reference, but which also contains artificial
`elements which are added as
`a function of
`the image
`information and of possible new additional information,
`and which have a useful function.
`
`the
`invention,
`the
`of
`embodiment
`a particular
`In
`functional element is added as a function of the digital
`image information in the form in which all medical data |
`are visible.
`
`Such a form of the image information consists of the grey
`
`value information.
`
`the
`invention,
`the
`of
`embodiment
`a peculiar
`In
`information on the basis of which the functional element
`is determined is processed factually in the perfected
`model by means of a voxel oriented computer system.
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`Via contour generation (segmentation/interpolation), one
`can switch from image processing to for example stereo
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`lithography.
`
`Possible new information added from outside to determine
`
`the functional element must
`voxels or contours.
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`
`then also be presented as
`
`The functional element with a useful function can be a
`
`shape, a colour or a texture.
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`This useful function can be the indication of a position,
`a direction,
`a length or an angle which are important
`during a surgery, the formation of a point of attachment,
`the formation of
`a filling for
`a certain defect,
`a
`prosthetic function, etc.
`A useful function can for example also be facilitating
`the identification of a model or of model parts for a
`certain patient by providing an inscription or a label
`which may not restrict
`the diagnostic or
`functional
`qualities.
`
`The method can be used in numerous applications.
`
`Thus, it can be usefully applied in combination with the
`already applied computer
`aided surgery
`simulation,
`whereby bone segments are cut and moved at a certain
`-angle and over a certain distance. With the help of the
`method,
`templates and jigs can be made which provide a
`perfect reference on the one hand and indicate angles and
`movements on the other hand.
`
`The method can also be used for the preparation of tooth
`implants, whereby the perfected medical model
`is a
`template and the functional element
`is an opening or
`notch on the place where drilling is required, or for
`making a knee prosthesis, whereby the basic model is a
`metal base which can be joined to
`a sawn off tibia or
`femur and whereby the functional elements are orientation
`pins and/or fastening pins which stand on said base and
`which position and/or fix a prosthesis. Also an actual
`prosthesis can be made according to the method, part of
`which fits perfectly to existing bone and another part of
`which forms
`the functional element with a prosthetic
`
`function.
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`
`the
`In order to better explain the characteristics of
`a
`invention,
`the following preferred embodiments of
`‘method for making a perfected medical model on the basis
`of digital image information of a part of the body are
`given as an example only without being limitative in any
`way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
`
`figure 1 shows a general block diagram of a method
`for making a perfected medical model according to
`the invention;
`
`figure 2 schematically shows how a perfected medical
`model is made on the basis of the image;
`
`figure 3 schematically shows how another form of a
`perfected medical model
`is made according to the
`method of the invention;
`
`to 8 schematically show how yet other
`figures 4
`perfected medical models
`for
`other
`forms
`of
`applications can be made according to the invention.
`
`images 3 are
`As is schematically represented in figure 1,
`made of a part of the body of a patient 1 by means of a
`computer tomography scanner 2 or any other digital image
`processing unit
`such as
`a Magnetic Resonance
`Image
`machine,
`which
`thus
`contain
`digitized medical
`information.
`|
`
`in for example a
`Instead of converting these images
`three-dimensional image or a dental scan and subsequently
`either making a model by means of rapid prototyping or
`processing the images,
`the image data will be first
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`processed in a processing unit 4, after which a perfected
`model 6 is made with these processed digitized image data
`by means of rapid prototyping with a rapid prototyping
`machine 5.
`Use can be made
`for this operation of a
`visual
`three-dimensional
`image 17 or a dental scan 18
`-which is derived in the usual manner from the images 3.
`This three-dimensional image 17 and this dental scan 18
`are represented in figure 1 by means of a dashed line.
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`What is characteristic is that the model 6 can be used in
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`reality on the patient 1 or in other words that the cycle
`represented in figure 1
`is completed.
`In this figure,
`everything that
`is situated under
`the dashed line 19
`represents reality, and everything that is situated above
`it is immaterial information.
`
`The processing or preparation includes the manipulation
`of medical digital image data, possibly with additional
`digital information from outside,
`in such a way that an
`artificial, functional element 10 with a useful function
`
`is added to the produced basic model 9.
`
`The processing of existing and possibly new information
`or
`the "design"
`is carried out with a voxel-oriented
`system in the processing unit 4, i.e. by means of voxels
`or contours, whereby voxels or groups of voxels are
`indicated in the images
`3.
`A voxel is a
`three-
`dimensional pixel and thus represents a cube.
`The grey
`value data of
`the voxels can be used to obtain still
`
`The processing unit
`higher resolutions and accuracies.
`4 which controls the rapid prototyping machine can help
`during the processing by carrying out operations on these ©
`voxels which are standard operations in three-dimensional
`image processing,
`such as thresholding (segmentation on-
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`three-dimensional reduction,
`the basis of grey values),
`expansion,
`region growing, boolean operations such as
`adding and subtracting, projections, etc.
`
`If external
`technical elements are added,
`for example
`coming
`from a
`CAD
`system,
`these
`elements must
`be
`represented as voxels or contours as well. This can be
`easily done by means of
`cross
`section and
`shading
`algorithms.
`
`After the interactive processing of the image information
`(for
`example
`rotations,
`translations, etc.),
`it
`is
`possible to go back to the original CAD data to obtain a
`higher resolution and accuracy of the functional element.
`
`Figure 2 shows an enlarged representation of one of the
`images 7 with grey values, derived in the processing unit
`4 in the form of voxels from the images 3 of a bone 20
`produced by the scanner 2.
`Through processing in the
`processing unit
`4 are made negative images
`8
`in voxel
`form which fit perfectly to the images 7 and thus to the
`bone. Moreover,
`the image 11 of a functional element 10
`is provided in voxel form in the images 8.
`The images 8
`coincide with a reference part which forms a negative
`basic model
`9 which fits perfectly to the bone, which
`basic model 9,
`together with the functional element 10,
`forms the perfected model 6.
`
`In figure 2 is represented by means of a dashed line 21
`the boundary between what is reality (underneath it) and
`what
`is image information (above it), whereas what
`is
`situated above the dashed line 22 is represented enlarged
`
`and in voxel form.
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`When providing the image 11 of the functional element 10
`in voxel
`form, one can take into account all medical
`information contained in the images 7.
`Via
`stereo
`lithography,
`the images 8, with on top of them the images
`11 of
`the functional element 10, are converted in the
`_ three-dimensional, factual, perfected model 6 which can
`be placed as a template on the bone of the patient
`1
`during a surgery and which fits perfectly to it.
`fThe
`useful function of the functional element 10 can then be
`put
`to use.
`The information of the scanner 2 and the
`information of
`the position and direction of
`the
`functional element 10 based upon it, are in this way used
`to the full and translated into reality.
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`In order to pass from the information of the processing
`unit 4 to the rapid processing technique, one can proceed
`
`as follows:
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`the information or data set, consisting of voxels and.
`contours, of the processing unit 4 is converted into a
`set of contours per layer height. This is done by means
`of
`a
`screen which is finer
`than the screen of
`the
`original images 3, since the rapid prototyping techniques
`have a higher resolution than the scanner 2.
`In order to
`obtain this finer screen, use is made of the grey value
`information in the images 3. Thus, a pixel’ or voxel can
`partly belong to the perfected model
`6 and. partly not.
`‘This phenomenon is known as partial volume effect. When
`there are only two materials in one pixel or voxel, a
`contour line can be calculated in between the pixels by
`means of interpolation, as described by B. Swaelens and
`others in "Medical Applications of Rapid Prototyping
`Techniques", p. 107-120 of “Proceedings of
`the Fourth
`International Conference on Rapid Prototyping, Dayton,
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`resolution is
`Said higher
`1993".
`June 14-17,
`OH,
`important
`to make the designed model fit well onto the
`part of
`the body.
`Once
`the contours per
`layer are
`calculated,
`they are interpolated in the third dimension
`up to the layer height which is suitable for the rapid
`_ prototyping technique.
`This
`layer height
`is usually
`significantly lower than the scan distance.
`
`Another method consists in converting the above-mentioned
`data set into a surface description with for example one
`of the usual formats such as triangle format (STL).
`Such
`descriptions are used to calculate sections which are
`made by the rapid prototyping machine 5. Here also, it
`
`is possible to work with sub-voxel resolution.
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`the medical data or digital
`According to a third method,
`information is converted from the processing unit 4 toa
`
`CAD system.
`
`This
`
`is again approached by means of a
`
`surface description and by calculating the sections.
`
`It
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`is possible to further add elements in the CAD system,
`but not as a function of the image information.
`
`The functional element 10 with a useful function can be
`
`a shape, a colour, a texture or another characteristic
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`element.
`
`The useful function of the element 10 can be
`
`the indication of a place where, a direction in which, a
`length over which or an angle at which one must cut,
`saw
`or drill;
`it can also be a point of attachment,
`the
`‘filling of an existing defect, a prosthetic function or
`an identification.
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`the perfected
`In the embodiment represented in figure 2,
`model 6 is a template and the functional element 10 is an
`opening which indicates the position and direction for
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`9
`The basic model
`the boring bit of a boring machine.
`forms a reference part. The thickness of the basic model
`9 at the height of the opening determines the depth of
`hole.
`
`tooth
`the preparation of
`The method can be used for
`implants.
`The position and the orientation of
`the
`implants, both in relation to the bone and in relation to
`the teeth,
`is very important. First, a dental scan is
`made.
`Thanks
`to computer-aided preparations,
`the
`thickness, position, direction and length of an implant
`can be well planned.
`By making a template according to
`the invention as represented in figure 2, it is not only
`possible to match the pianned size and length of
`the
`implant
`in reality, but also directly the position and
`direction.
`For we have a reference part formed by the
`basic model
`9 which fits perfectly to the bone and an
`element 10 which forms a guide for the boring bit with
`which the hole for the implant
`is drilled and which
`determines
`the position, direction and depth of said
`hole.
`
`Instead of directly making a negative perfected model 6,
`a positive model 13-14 of
`the bone can be made in the
`above-described manner,
`but
`containing
`information
`regarding the position, direction and depth of the drill
`hole to be made
`in the form of protrusions
`14
`as
`represented in figure 3. Only afterwards, a basic model
`9 is made as a reference part, for example manually, with
`openings as functional elements 10, as a negative mould
`of the positive model 13-14 as represented in figure 4.
`
`a
`in the production of
`Another application resides
`membrane for bone generation, whereby this membrane can
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`and the
`9
`form the reference part or basic model
`functional element 10 a notch or incision as represented
`in figure 5. First, a positive intermediate model 15 is
`made on the basis of the images 3 of the scanner 2, via
`stereo lithography, consisting of a basic model 9 and the
`required bone elevation 16 as a first functional element
`10. Whereas,
`according to known methods,
`said bone
`elevation is determined by realising the elevation in
`reality in a radiographically visible material, prior to
`the scanning,
`the elevation is calculated according to
`the invention by the processing unit 4 and imported in
`the medical information derived from the grey value data,
`either departing from an ideal bone shape stored in a
`memory of the processing unit 4 or interactively.
`
`A second functional element 10 can be possibly provided,
`namely a place indication, for example in the shape of a
`notch, there where the implant should come. This can be
`either
`done
`through
`the
`agency
`of
`the
`user
`or
`automatically by means of
`a computer according to a
`stored program.
`In any case, it is preferably provided
`as a function of the grey value data in a dental scan.
`
`From the intermediate model 15 is made a perfected model
`6
`in the shape of a membrane by making a mould on the
`basis of the intermediate model 15 and by shaping a foil
`in the mould into a membrane.
`Just as the intermediate
`model 15,
`the membrane. is provided with a notch as a
`functional element 10 which has as a function to indicate
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`the place of the implant.
`
`In the case where the implant is provided together with
`the membrane, reference marks or sutures can be provided
`as functional elements 10 in the above-described manner
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`to position the membrane in the space where the bone will
`grow later.
`
`the method according to the
`Another application of
`invention consists in making prostheses.
`
`the sliding surface of both the
`“With a knee prosthesis,
`femur and the tibia must be replaced by sawing away a
`piece and by replacing this piece by a prosthesis.
`Hereby,
`it
`is
`important
`that
`the prosthesis
`fits
`correctly to the bone, especially on the side of
`the
`tibia, since there is only a thin wall of strong cortical
`bone
`there
`to support
`the prosthesis.
`When
`the
`prosthesis is too large, protruding edges form a problem.
`
`In the first place, an incision is indicated in voxel
`form in the images 7,
`there where the tibia or
`femur
`should be sawn.
`A first negative model 6 is made in the
`above-described manners which fits perfectly to the bone
`20, but which protrudes all round this bone 20 with an
`edge which is cut off by said incision.
`This edge then
`forms a functional element 10 which serves as a guide for
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`the saw with which the incision is sawn during the
`surgery operation.
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`The voxels
`above
`the
`incision are
`removed
`in the
`processing unit 4 and a base 12 is designed here as a
`reference part or basic model
`9 upon which orientation
`pins are provided as
`functional elements
`10 by the
`processing unit 4. On the basis of this design is made,
`for example by means of stereo lithography and casting,
`a real model 6 which fits correctly to the remaining part
`of the bone 20 and which is provided with functional
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`elements 10 which are oriented in the right manner.
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`
`can be designed such that it penetrates
`The base 12
`partly in the bone
`20,
`and especially also partly
`surrounds the bone on the outside, as
`represented in
`figure 8. This largely increases the strength.
`
`6 which forms the
`the negative model
`On the basis of
`sawing template, and taking into account the thickness of
`the base and the position of the functional elements 10,
`a positive model can be made of the prosthesis itself.
`One can hereby depart from the real model 6 of the sawing
`template or preferably from the digital
`information
`thereof
`in the processing unit
`4
`and calculate the
`prosthesis with the latter to finally transform it via
`rapid prototyping in a real prosthesis. This prosthesis
`will also be provided with functional elements 10 which
`are complementary to those provided on the base 12.
`
`Instead, a standard prosthesis can be provided on the
`base 12, whereby the functional elements 10 on the basic
`model 9 formed by the base 12 need to be provided in this
`case as
`a
`function of complementary elements of
`the
`
`standard prosthesis.
`
`A hip prosthesis can be made in an analogous manner which
`fits perfectly to the femur shaft on one side and which
`contains a technical part with functional elements on the
`other side upon which the artificial femur head can be
`placed.
`In the images
`7 can be indicated the ideal
`length and the direction.
`
`A prosthesis fitting perfectly to an existing structure
`on one side and bearing a technical part on the other
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
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`WO 95/28688
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`
`15
`
`side which has a prosthetic function can also be used for
`dorsal vertebra. Grey value data, for example regarding
`the position of the nerves, can be used in the processing
`unit 4 for the design of the prosthesis.
`
`It is also easily possible to design prostheses according
`to the invention which are partly or entirely supported
`by weak parts.
`Such prostheses
`are
`for
`example
`obstructors or "bobbins" which are used to fill up the
`
`nasal cavities and sinuses after tissue and/or bone has
`been surgically removed.
`The weak parts can be crushed,
`and ideally some distance is kept
`from the bone parts.
`This is possible according to the invention by slightly
`enlarging the bone parts in the processing unit 4 at the
`stage of the image processing.
`A technical part could
`possibly be designed as well onto which can be attached
`a prosthesis such as a dental prosthesis.
`
`limited to the
`invention is by no means
`The present
`above-described embodiments represented in the drawings;
`on the contrary,
`such a method for making a perfected
`medical model on the basis of digital image information
`of
`a part of
`the body can be made
`in all sorts of
`variants while still remaining within the scope of the
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`invention.
`
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`
`16
`
`Claims.
`
`1. Method for making a perfected medical model on the
`
`basis of digital image information of a part of the body,
`according to which this image information of a part of
`the body is converted, by means of what
`is called the
`rapid prototyping technique and thus with a processing
`unit
`(4)
`and a rapid prototyping machine
`(5),
`into a
`basic model
`(9) of which at least a part perfectly shows
`the positive or negative form of at least a part of the
`
`part of
`
`the body, characterized in that at
`
`least
`
`a
`
`(10) with a useful function is added
`functional element
`(6) as
`to the basic model
`a function of
`the digital
`information and possibly as
`a
`function of additional
`external information.
`
`2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized
`in that
`the functional
`element
`(10)
`is added as
`a
`function of the digital image information in the form in
`which all medical data are visible.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`the preceding claims,
`3. Method according to any of
`characterized in that the information, on the basis of
`
`- 25
`
`is
`is determined,
`(10)
`which the functional element
`processed factually in the perfected model
`(6) by means
`of a voxel oriented computer system.
`
`30
`
`4. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized
`in that possible new information added from outside to
`determine the functional element
`(10)
`is also presented
`as voxels or contours.
`
`-16-
`
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`

`WO95/28688 _
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`PCT/BE95/00033
`
`17
`
`the preceding claims,
`5. Method according to any of
`characterized in that a functional element (10) is added
`consisting of a shape, a colour or a texture.
`
`the preceding claims,
`6. Method according to any of
`Characterized in that a functional element (10) is added
`whose useful
`function can be
`the
`indication of
`a
`
`a length or an angle which are
`a direction,
`position,
`important during a surgery,
`the formation of a point of
`attachment,
`the formation of a filling for a certain
`defect, a prosthetic function or an identification.
`
`7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a
`drilling or sawing template is made with a reference part
`as a basic model
`(9) which fits perfectly to a part of
`
`and a guide for
`the body part
`functional element (10).
`
`the instrument as
`
`a
`
`8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that it
`is used for the preparation of tooth implants and in that
`a basic model
`(9)
`is made with a reference part and at
`least one functional element
`(10) via a dental scan (18)
`and simulation in different planes.
`
`9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a
`membrane
`for
`bone
`generation
`is
`formed
`and an
`intermediate model
`(15)
`is made first consisting of a
`basic model
`(9) with a required bone elevation (16) as a
`functional element (10), determined by means of the grey
`value images
`(7), after which, by means of a mould,
`a
`
`metal foil is transformed into a membrane containing the
`
`above-mentioned functional element (10).
`
`10. Method
`
`according to any of
`
`claims
`
`8
`
`and
`
`9,
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`-17-
`
`-17-
`
`

`

`WO 95/28688
`
`PCT/BE95/00033
`
`18
`
`characterized in that a membrane for bone generation is
`formed and an intermediate model
`(15)
`is made first
`consisting of
`a basic model
`(9) with a notch or an
`incision as a functional element
`(10)
`to indicate the
`place of an implant, after which, by means of a mould, a
`metal foil is transformed into a membrane containing the
`above-mentioned functional element (10).
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`11. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a
`perfected model
`(6)
`is made by first making a positive
`model (13-14) of the structure containing information on
`a functional element
`(10) and by subsequently making a
`negative mould of it.
`
`12. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that on
`the basis of the information of a bone (20)
`sawn off on
`one side, by means of the processing unit (4) and a rapid
`prototyping machine (5),
`is made a base (12) as basic
`model
`(9) which is provided with fastening pins and/or
`orientation pins as functional elements (10) to position
`a prosthesis.
`
`13. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a
`prosthesis is made supported by weak parts surrounding a
`bone (20), whereby a perfected model
`(6)
`is made on the
`basis of
`the digital
`image
`information by slightly
`enlarging the bone parts in the processing unit
`(4) at
`the stage of the image processing.
`
`-18-
`
`-18-
`
`

`

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`
`1/3
`
`0
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`9
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`WY)
`
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`| Wy = CG
`
`
`JO
`
`20
`
`-19-
`
`

`

`WO 95/28688
`
`PCT/BE95/00033
`
` _|Be
`
`
`
`
`
` x
`
`2
`
`m45
`_
`L£7
`
`-20-
`
`-20-
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`

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`3/3
`
`
`SISa
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`TF
`
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`a
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`-21-
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`

`INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT >
`
`A. CLASSIFICATION OFbo MATTER
`
`GO06T15
`
`PC 6
`
`Inter.
`
`onal Application No
`
`PCT/BE 95/00033
`
`Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documentsare included in the fields searched
`
`Accordingto Internationa! Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPC
`B. FIELDS SEARCHED
`
`Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols)
`IPC 6
`GO6T
`
`Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and, wherepractical, search terms used)
`
`C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT
`
`.
`
`
`
`Category °|Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevantto claim No.
`
`AUSTRALASTIAN PHYSICAL & ENGINEERING
`SCIENCES IN MEDICINE,
`vol. 16, no. 2, June 1993 AUSTRALIA,
`pages 79-85,
`‘INTEGRATION OF 3-D MEDICAL
`BARKER E.A.
`IMAGING AND RAPID PROTOTYPING TO CREATE
`STEREOLITOGRAPHIC MODELS'
`.
`see the whole document
`
`EP-A-0 535 984 (SPECTRA GROUP) 7 April
`1993
`see the whole document
`
`1-13
`
`1,2,5
`
`[| Further documents are listed in the continuation of box C.
`° Special categories of cited documents :
`
`°A” documentdefining the general state of the art which is not
`considered to be of particular relevance
`earlier documentbut published on or after the international
`filing date
`"L” document which may throw doubts on priority claim(s) or
`whichis cited to establish the publication date of another
`citation or other special reason (as specified)
`“O" documentreferring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition or
`other means
`“P” documentpublished prior to the internationalfiling date but
`later than the priority date claimed
`
`°T” later document published after the international filing date
`or priority date and notin conflict with the application but
`cited to understand the principle or theory underlying the
`invention
`.
`documentof particular relevance; the claimed invention
`cannotbe considered novel or cannot be considered to
`involve an inventive step when the documentis taken alone
`documentof particular relevance; the claimed invention
`cannot be considered to involve an inventive step when the
`documentis combined with one or more other such docu-
`ments, such combination being obvious to a person skilled
`in
`the art.
`document memberof the samepatent family
`
` [x]Patent family members are listed in annex.
`
`Date of the actual completion ofthe international search
`
`Date of mailing of the international search report
`
`29 June 1995
`
`Nameand mailing address of the ISA
`European Patent Office, P.B. 5818 Patentlaan 2
`NL - 2280 HV Rijswijk
`Tel. (+ 31-70) 340-2040, Tx. 31 651 epo ni,
`Fax: (+ 31-70) 340-3016
`
`Form PCT/ISA/210 (second sheet) (July 1992)
`
`1 8 07.95
`Authorized officer
`
`Burgaud, C
`
`-22-
`
`-22-
`
`

`

`
`
`Inte:
`
`onal Application No
`
`PCT/BE 95/00033
`
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
`snformation on patent family members
`
`
`
`Patent document
`
`cited in search report
`
`
`EP-A-0535984
`
` Form PCT/ISA/210 (patent family annex) (July 1992)
`
`
`
`
`
`Publication
`date
`07-04-93
`
`Patent family
`member(s)
`JP-A-
`5212806
`
`Publication
`date
`24-08-93
`
`-23-
`
`-23-
`
`