提出一种基于光学相干层析成像(OCT)技术的水凝胶三维打印精准控制方法,利用OCT在线定量评价,通过迭代降低设计与打印间形态差异,提高了水凝胶打印的可控性和稳定性。实验结果显示,该方法能够准确地定量表征水凝胶三维打印支架的结构特征,并基于OCT表征结果的相关函数精准控制打印,使得支架平均孔隙尺寸与设计值的偏差从30%降低到2%。研究表明OCT技术可为组织工程中支架设计与表征、三维生物打印过程控制等提供具有潜力的精准化工具。
The aim of this study is to optimize the robustness and controllability of the 3D printed hydrogel scaffolds by iteratively reducing the mismatch between the designed and the as-printed. A feedback loop approach based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in vivo online quantitative evaluation was performed for twice. The experimental results show that OCT has quantitatively characterized the morphological parameters, and the difference correlation analysis based on the characterization of OCT feedback controls the 3D printing process and enables decrease of the mismatch. The mismatch of the averaged pore size of the hydrogel scaffolds has decreased from 30% to 2%. It concludes that OCT can further expand its applications in the field of tissue engineering, and may be a key tool for scaffold design and characterization, 3D bio-printing process control, and so on.