Characterisation of the pore structure of 3D printed solid dosage forms by XμCT

3D printing is a novel manufacturing technology which was recently employed to produce innovative pharmaceutical drug products. One of the important characteristics of printed solid dosage forms is its microstructure as it directly impacts the drug release in a patient. Therefore, a thoroughly understanding about the relationship between the microstructure and process parameters has to be developed and key characteristics (e.g., porosity) have to be assessed in a non-destructive manner. This study demonstrates how X-ray computed microtomography (XµCT) can be used to gain insight into the effect of changes in process settings of the 3D printer on the pore structure of the dosage form. It further highlights that 3D printed dosage forms can be reproduced consistently, although they may vary considerably from the designed model. The results from XµCT measurements were compared to terahertz pulsed imaging measurements enabling a contactless, non-destructive and fast quantification of the prints’ porosity.