Move over, black-and-white ultrasound pictures. Expectant parents can now receive a 3D model of their fetus and the mother-to-be’s womb, courtesy of a clinic in Japan.
Fasotec and Hiroo Ladies Clinic in Tokyo, Japan, uses a technology called ‘BioTexture’ to process the image data in an MRI and print it into a 3D model. A 3D printer builds up the 3D image using two resins that produce two different colours, Discovery News reported.
The clinic’s service, called ‘Shape of an Angel’, costs 100,000 yen (about €1,030), not including the cost of the MRI.
Fasotec representative Tomohiro Kinoshita told DigInfo that three expectant mothers tried out the service.
“They said it felt great to see how their babies looked before birth, and to be able to actually hold the inside of their own body,” Kinoshita said.
“They also enjoyed looking at the model after giving birth, thinking, ‘This is how my baby looked inside me’ and recalling how it felt to be pregnant.”
Fasotec has said the printer can build up 3D models of organs, as well, which could be used to train doctors.
Watch a video about the ‘Shape of an Angel’ service here:
