High X-Ray Lucency Lattice Structures

1 . A porous structure for use in medical implants, comprising:

a repeating unit cell within an amorphous volume;

wherein the amorphous volume contains a structure defined by struts and nodes;

wherein the repeating unit cell has an origin orientation;

wherein the porous structure has a desired direction; and

whereby the repeating unit cell may be rotated relative to the origin orientation about a first axis to obtain a lucency property in the desired direction.

2 . The porous structure of claim 1 , whereby the repeating unit cell is rotated relative to the origin orientation about a second axis to change a lucency property in the desired direction.

3 . The porous structure of claim 1 , wherein the repeating unit cell comprises a lattice structure selected from the group consisting of radial dodeca-rhombus. rhombic dodecahedron, modified rhombic dodecahedron, diamond, dodecahedron, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, sctet struts, trunic octa, diagonal struts and rounded, reinforced, weakened, or simplified versions of each geometry.

4 . The porous structure of claim 1 , wherein the lucency property is selected from the group consisting of relative disparity and relative dispersion.

5 . The porous structure of claim 2 , wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about the first axis by between and including 0 degrees and 180 degrees in either direction; and wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about a second axis by between and including 0 degrees and 180 degrees in either direction.

6 . The porous structure of claim 2 , wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about the first axis by between and including 35 degrees and 55 degrees in either direction; and wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about a second axis by between and including 35 degrees and 55 degrees in either direction.

7 . The porous structure of claim 2 , wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about the first axis by between and including 0 degrees and 360 degrees; and wherein the repeating unit cell may be rotated from the origin orientation about a second axis by between and including 0 degrees and 360 degrees.

8 . A porous structure for use in medical implants, comprising:

a lattice structure comprising a repeating unit cell contained within an amorphous volume;

wherein the lattice structure comprises struts and nodes fixed in a predetermined pattern;

wherein the nodes are any location where a strut connects to or touches another strut;

wherein the struts are elongate members extending between nodes;

wherein the repeating unit cell has an origin orientation;

wherein the porous structure has a desired direction; and

whereby the repeating unit cell may be rotated relative to the origin orientation to obtain a lucency property in the desired direction.

9 . The porous structure of claim 8 , comprising

a first enlarged node and a second enlarged node;

wherein the enlarged nodes are larger relative to other nodes in the porous structure;

an aligned direction;

a misaligned direction;

wherein the first enlarged node is positioned within the porous structure to at least partially overlay the second enlarged node in the aligned direction; and

wherein the first enlarged node is positioned within the porous structure not to not fully overlay the second enlarged node in the misaligned direction.

10 . The porous structure of claim 8 , comprising

a first enlarged strut and a second enlarged strut;

wherein the enlarged struts are larger in diameter relative to other struts in the porous structure;

an aligned direction;

a misaligned direction;

wherein the first enlarged strut is positioned within the porous structure to at least partially overlay the second enlarged strut in the aligned direction;

and wherein the first enlarged strut is positioned within the porous structure not to fully overlay the second enlarged strut in the misaligned direction.

11 . The porous structure of claim 8 , comprising

a first marker and a second marker;

wherein the first marker and the second marker are connected to the porous structure;

an aligned direction;

a misaligned direction;

wherein the first marker is positioned with respect to the porous structure to at least partially overlay the second marker in the aligned direction; and

wherein the first marker is positioned with respect to the porous structure not to fully overlay the second marker in the misaligned direction.

12 . The porous structure of claim 11 , wherein the first marker has a volumetric density of about 100 percent.

13 . The porous structure of claim 11 , wherein the first marker has a volumetric density of less than 100 percent.

14 . The porous structure of claim 11 , wherein the first marker has a volumetric density of between and including 0 percent to 30 percent.

15 . The porous structure of claim 11 , wherein the porous structure has an average baseline lucency comprising the average lucency across the porous structure; and wherein an average lucency of the porous structure with the first marker differs from the average baseline lucency by less than 15 percent.

16 . The porous structure of claim 11 , wherein the porous structure has an average baseline lucency comprising the average lucency across a field of view of the porous structure from a predetermined focal length; and wherein an average lucency of the porous structure with the first marker differs from the average baseline lucency by less than 15 percent.

17 . The porous structure of claim 15 , wherein an average lucency of the porous structure with the inclusion of the second marker differs from the average baseline lucency by less than 15 percent.

18 . The porous structure of claim 17 , wherein the first volume of material and the second volume of material provide a localized difference in lucency that deviates from the average baseline lucency by at least 4 percent when in the aligned direction.

19 . The porous structure of claim 18 , wherein the first volume of material provides a localized difference in lucency that deviates from the average baseline lucency by less than 15 percent when in a misaligned direction.

20 . A bulk volume for use in an implant, comprising:

a first void

an average baseline lucency comprising the average lucency across the bulk volume;

wherein the first void provides a localized difference in lucency that deviates from the average baseline lucency by at least 4 percent when in an aligned direction; and

wherein the first void provides a localized difference in lucency that deviates from the average baseline lucency by less than 15 percent when in a misaligned direction.