While poking around online, I became smitten with the idea of having a model of my skull, brain, and tumor built from my MRI and other imaging. It would be like an awesome souvenir.
Sadly, if you want a really nice professional skull made from clear dishwasher-safe material with a color-coded tumor (I requested purple), it’s going to cost you. I requested a quote, and they responded with $3,893 plus tax and shipping for a full skull. Worth it, but too steep for my blood.
The good news is that I managed to find online instructions for using a 3D printer and your MRI results to make your own custom skull, and it’s a steal! Just a few hundred bucks for the memento of a lifetime.
I wouldn’t even have to buy my own 3D printer yet (it’s inevitable, but probably not this year) because we live near Seattle, home of the “maker” movement. You can actually rent the use of these and other manufacturing machines here for very reasonable prices.
3-6 months down the road when I’m mobile and things are functioning more or less properly again (with any luck), I’m totally doing this. It’s too awesome to resist.
Are you going to do a “before” and “after” series of photos and/or models or such of your head? Should be interesting to see how much or how little the differences are. It could be of help to other folks facing this, letting them know what the reality of the situation is. Just a thought.
Hi, Gonzalo. I’ll definitely do that if we can scrounge up the money. Even a few hundred dollars is a bit steep at the moment, given student loans, housing costs, and now medical bills. It sure would be neat to have the whole series, though!