# Bone segmentation to create 3D-printable STL

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/bone-segmentation-to-create-3d-printable-stl/960>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [August 28, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/bone-segmentation-to-create-3d-printable-stl/960 "2017-08-28T13:43:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/bone-segmentation-to-create-3d-printable-stl/960/2 "2017-08-31T05:13:10Z")

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In the STL that you linked, large portions of the bone is missing, so I don’t think it make sense to “fix” it. Instead, I would recommend to redo the segmentation.

I would recommend to use the latest nightly version of Slicer and perform the following steps:

- reduce image noise: use `Cast Scalar Volume' module to convert input volume to Float type; use `Simple Filters`module with`GradientAnisotropicDiffusionImageFilter` on the converted volume
- go to Segment Editor module, use the noise-reduced volume as master volume
- create two new “seed” segments, paint one segment inside the bone, the other segment outside the bone
- use `Grow from seeds` effect to segment the bone (click `Initialize` then make additional paint strokes as needed; finally click `Apply`)
- delete the non-bone (background) segment
- create 3D representation by clicking `Create surface` button
- smooth the result by using `Smoothing` effect

See results below (green: original STL; brown: segmentation using the above-described steps):

 ![image_00002](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/2/8/28dbb433882132183c1cc2e141588a45c7419bdf.jpeg)

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