Multisite trial of MR flow measurement: phantom and protocol design

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Imaging Physics

Background:

• Accurate flow measurement is crucial for diagnosing cardiovascular conditions.
• Magnetic resonance (MR) phase mapping is a promising technique for quantifying blood flow.
• Standardized quality assurance (QA) protocols are needed for multicenter MR flow studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a portable, easily assembled phantom for standardized QA in MR phase mapping flow measurement.
• To introduce a series of tests for evaluating MR flow measurement accuracy and repeatability.
• To facilitate a multicenter trial for assessing MR flow measurement techniques.

Main Methods:

• A phantom was constructed using silicone polymer layers with defined flow channels (straight, stenosed, U-bend) and agarose slabs.
• A reusable aluminum mold was used to cast low melting-point metal, creating a negative for silicone setting.
• The metal core was melted out to establish flow channels, ensuring geometric reproducibility.

Main Results:

• The developed phantom is compact, portable, and easily reassembled.
• The phantom demonstrated its utility in a series of tests for MR flow measurements.
• It allows evaluation of flow accuracy, repeatability, and imaging geometry influences.

Conclusions:

• The phantom serves as a robust, standardized test object for multicenter trials.
• A multicenter trial has been initiated to investigate MR flow measurement performance using this phantom.
• This work establishes a foundation for reliable and consistent MR flow quantification.