UC Berkeley Uses 3D Printing to Speed Development of Lifesaving Medical Device

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but evaluating it carries risks of its own. Though often beneficial, X-ray angiography and CT angiography require dangerous iodine tracer and ionizing radiation to probe in the blood vessels and brain. Iodine tracers can be life-threatening to patients with chronic kidney disease, which include over half of Americans over the age of 70. Further, the number of patients with kidney disease is rapidly increasing due to comorbidity with Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as aging demographics.