Materialise Introduces Mimics Enlight 3D in China

Partners with Zealise Medical (振源), Fluidda

LEUVEN, Belgium, Sep 9, 2022 – Materialise, a global leader in medical 3D printing and planning solutions, introduces the Mimics Enlight 3D software in China and announces partnerships with Zealise Medical (振源) and Fluidda to advance personalized 3D imaging and treatment planning for lung care worldwide.

Today, the use of 3D imaging to create and refine lung visualizations for surgical planning requires time and expertise from both imaging and surgical teams. With the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, Materialise and its partners will reduce the need for human intervention and expedite the visualization process, allowing experts to dedicate more of their time to strategic work, like surgical planning and patient care.

Addressing the Need for Personalized 3D Planning in Lung Cancer Surgery

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwidei. Surgical and interventional lung treatment options have advanced to become more targeted and less invasive. Segmentectomy is a relatively new and minimally invasive surgical technique to remove lung tumors, that allows surgeons to save significantly healthier lung tissue compared to traditional procedures. However, lung segment borders are not visible on CT scans. This limited view of important anatomical structures makes it challenging for surgeons to define the optimal resection and to perform the actual surgery. Mimics Enlight 3D, Materialise’s AI-driven planning solution, enables a deep understanding of the patient’s unique lung anatomy, which can positively impact the outcome of segmentectomies.

“As lung cancer is being detected earlier, physicians are treating more small tumors that qualify for lung-sparing surgery,” said Antoon Dierckx, innovation manager, Respiratory at Materialise. “Materialise’s 3D planning solutions support thoracic surgeons in identifying candidates for segmentectomy, accurately visualizing the patient’s unique anatomy in 3D, and creating a personalized surgical plan to optimally treat their unique case with confidence.”

The new Mimics Enlight 3D Lung software is a 3D planning solution that enables personalized lung treatment. Its AI-driven 3D visualization process offers identification and precise measurements of anatomical structures, such as lung segments, arteries, veins, and safety margins surrounding tumors, helping surgeons determine the desired surgical resection. Removing the tumor with an accurate safety margin potentially decreases the risk for tumor recurrence, while saving as much healthy lung tissue as possible can leave the patient with better lung performance compared to removing a complete lobe or lung.

Incorporating AI to Make 3D Procedural Planning More User-Friendly

In addition, Materialise has expanded its partnership with Fluidda, a global leader in lung imaging technology, to combine Fluidda’s AI technology with Materialise’s 3D planning software expertise. Through a joint research and development initiative, Fluidda’s AI technology will be integrated within Materialise’s medical software to expedite and improve personalized 3D visualizations for respiratory diseases such as COPD, asthma, IPF and lung cancer. Through improved patient selection and preprocedural planning, the companies aim to make treatment outcomes more predictable and reduce the risk for intra-procedural complications.

“Our objective in this research and development project is to make 3D imaging and planning software more user friendly, efficient and automated,” said Brigitte de Vet, vice president, medical at Materialise. “Dedicated 3D planning solutions will enable clinical care teams to make better-informed decisions for every patient suffering from lung disease.”

As part of this expanded R&D partnership, Materialise will also combine its advanced 3D visualization and planning technology with Fluidda’s portfolio of pulmonology services to support medical device companies in developing new respiratory treatments.

Bringing Treatment Expertise to Patients around the World

Materialise and Zealise Medical (振源), who support surgeons in their preparation for lung segmentectomies through 3D planning services and software, have founded the China-based joint venture Tianjin Zhenyuan Materialise Medical Technology to further develop the Mimics Enlight 3D Lung software. China is the country with the highest cancer-related death rate and a lung cancer rate of more than 35 cases per 100,000 residentsii. Last year, surgeons in China leveraged Zealise Medical (振源) and Materialise’s solutions to prepare for more than 6,000 segmentectomy procedures. NMPA submission for Mimics Enlight 3D Lung software is currently pending in China.

While this approach to lung cancer treatment has seen considerable adoption in China, there is now an opportunity to bring the benefits of 3D planning and personalized care to more lung cancer patients around the world. According to Prof. Dr. Herbert Decaluwé, Thoracic Surgeon, U.Z. Leuven, Belgium:

“As evidence continues to build, the number of minimally invasive lobectomies and segmentectomies, for which advanced 3D visualizations are very helpful, is expected to further increase in Europe in the coming years.”

As Materialise, Fluidda and Zealise Medical (振源) continue to advance 3D imaging software and AI technology, personalized lung treatment will become available to more clinicians, medical device companies and patients around the world.

About Materialise

Materialise incorporates three decades of 3D printing experience into a range of software solutions and 3D printing services, which together form the backbone of the 3D printing industry. Materialise’s open and flexible solutions enable players in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, art and design, and consumer goods, to build innovative 3D printing applications that aim to make the world a better and healthier place. Headquartered in Belgium, with branches worldwide, Materialise combines the largest group of software developers in the industry with one of the largest 3D printing facilities in the world.

For additional information, please visit www.materialise.com.

i. World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer, consulted on July 25, 2022.
ii. Shugeng Gao, et al. Lung Cancer Worldwide, 2020, vol.15, issue 10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtho.2020.04.028