The future of medicine is personal, and it’s already here. 

At the crossroads of medical imaging, software innovation, and advanced manufacturing lies a transformative approach to healthcare: 3D planning and printing. This technology converts patient-specific imaging data (CT or MRI scans) into digital models that can be visualized on a screen, manipulated in extended reality (XR), or 3D printed. These models aren’t just visual aids; they’re tools for surgical planning, patient education, and the creation of implants and instruments tailored to the individual.

From reducing surgery times to improving outcomes and preserving healthy tissue, 3D planning and printing are redefining what’s possible in personalized care. And nowhere is this transformation more visible than at the annual 3D Planning and Printing in Hospitals Forum.

This year’s Forum, held in the Irish College of Leuven, Belgium, provided a front-row seat to this transformation. Since its inception in 2018, the Forum has evolved into the leading event for clinicians, biomedical engineers, and innovators who are building the future of hospital-based 3D planning. With 140 attendees from all around the globe, the 2025 edition showcased how personalized care is becoming scalable, sustainable, and standard.

Following is a look at the ideas and innovations that defined this year’s Forum.

From Niche to Necessity: A Cross-Specialty Surge

If there was one theme that echoed across the Forum, it was this: 3D planning and printing are breaking out of specialty silos.

Dr. David Hoganson from Boston Children’s Hospital delivered the keynote address, describing 3D modeling as a “game changer.” He highlighted how digital models eliminate the need for surgeons to mentally convert 2D imaging into 3D visualizations, reducing errors and improving decision-making. His team now uses digital 3D models in more than half of their surgeries, spanning routine and complex cases alike.

In adult cardiology, Dr. Abdel Hakim Moustafa from the Hospital de la Santa Creu showed how patient-specific heart models help clinicians plan interventions for congenital heart defects, reduce ICU stays, and improve outcomes.

Dr. Davide Curione from Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital shared how 3D models were critical in planning the separation of conjoined twins. By providing a detailed view of shared organs and vasculature, the models allowed surgeons to optimize their approach, reducing operating time by 30% and ensuring a successful outcome.

In oncology, Maarten van Alphen from the Netherlands Cancer Institute demonstrated how 3D-printed surgical guides improve the accuracy of tumor resections, enabling better preservation of healthy tissue.

These examples demonstrate that 3D planning and printing are no longer limited to niche applications, but that they’re becoming essential tools across a wide range of specialties. 

The Rise of Point-of-Care 3D Labs

As demand grows, hospitals are increasingly bringing 3D capabilities in-house through the development of point-of-care (PoC) labs. These labs make it possible to deliver faster, more personalized care while maintaining control over timelines and workflows.

Celine Austrheim Krefting from Oslo University Hospital discussed how her team built an in-house 3D lab and overcame surgeons’ early skepticism. “Once they see the benefits, better understanding, confident planning, and cost savings, they’re on board,” she explained.

Dr. Alberto Leardini from the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute emphasized the importance of streamlining workflows to handle increasing demand while maintaining quality.

The speakers reported that by bringing 3D planning into hospitals, clinicians can reduce turnaround times, lower costs, and provide more timely, personalized care to patients.

XR Is the Next Layer

The convergence of 3D printing and extended reality (XR), including virtual and augmented reality, is unlocking new dimensions in surgical planning. XR doesn’t replace printed models, but it expands the way clinicians can engage with them.

At the forum, David Sibrina from the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine showcased how XR is being used for liver and lung surgical planning, enabling surgeons to explore anatomy in greater detail and plan procedures more intuitively.

Many hospitals are adopting a hybrid approach, using both physical 3D prints and virtual models depending on the case. As Chien Nguyen from UMC Utrecht noted, “VR and AR won’t replace 3D-printed models entirely, but they’re powerful tools that complement the physical models we create.”

Extended reality not only saves time and resources but also makes 3D planning more accessible to hospitals with limited printing capabilities, expanding the reach of personalized care.

That hybrid approach, blending digital immersion with tactile feedback, gives clinical teams the flexibility to choose what works best for each case and each team.

Innovation Meets Impact

The most memorable moments of the Forum came from real patient stories. One standout example was the minimally invasive brain tumor removal presented by Dr. Jiten Parmar and Lisa Ferrie from Leeds General Infirmary.

The duo presented the case of a patient who had a brain tumor deep in the cavernous sinus, surrounded by critical nerves vital for vision and movement. Traditionally, removing such a tumor would require highly invasive surgery, involving the removal of large sections of the skull and significant recovery risks.

Instead, the surgical team, led by Consultant Skullbase and neurosurgeon Asim Sheikh, decided to perform a groundbreaking minimally invasive procedure by accessing the tumor through her eye socket. Through advanced 3D planning tools, 3D-printed models and guides, and meticulous preparation, the team ensured precision and confidence during this challenging procedure.

The new technique was completed in just three hours instead of eight to 12 hours with the traditional approach. The patient was up and walking the same day, discharged within days instead of weeks, and left with hardly any pain and only a minor scar of a few millimeters.

This innovative approach demonstrates how 3D technology can help in the development of life-changing solutions for patients once considered untreatable.

Looking Forward: Collaboration as the Catalyst

In his welcome remarks, Koen Peters, VP Medical at Materialise, set the tone and emphasized that 3D planning and printing are no longer future technologies; they’re a reality.

Indeed, what sets the 3D Planning and Printing in Hospitals Forum apart isn’t just the clinical brilliance, it’s the openness. Engineers sharing workflow diagrams. Surgeons swapping notes on segmentation tools. Radiologists and hospital administrators discussing QMS frameworks. That cross-pollination is exactly what’s needed to transform individual success stories into system-wide change.

With momentum building in XR, automation, and reimbursement, the path ahead is clear: personalized, patient-specific solutions are not just scalable, they are necessary.

When the Model Becomes the Standard

The 3D Planning and Printing in Hospitals Forum 2025 underscored a shared commitment to making personalized care the new standard in medicine. By enabling precise, patient-specific solutions, 3D planning and printing are improving outcomes, reducing costs, and enhancing the overall quality of care.

“Expanding access to patient-specific care is a shared effort,” Peters said. “While this event spans just two days, its impact will carry forward as our community continues to grow the role of 3D planning and printing in hospitals.”

With advancements in extended reality, automation, and reimbursement frameworks, the future of 3D printing in hospitals looks promising. As more hospitals adopt and scale these technologies, the vision of accessible, personalized medicine is becoming a reality for patients worldwide.

Because when hospitals plan in 3D, patients win in real life.

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Nora Toure is a recognized leader in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry. She currently serves as the director of medical software sales for North America at Materialise, where she empowers healthcare providers and businesses to harness the potential of 3D planning and printing in medical applications. She is also the founder of Women in 3D Printing, a global organization committed to advancing diversity and inclusion within the 3D printing community.