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A reusable 3D printed brain-like phantom for benchmarking electrical properties tomography reconstructions.
T G Meerbothe1,2, S Florczak3, C A T van den Berg1,2
1Department of Radiotherapy, Division of Imaging and Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|June 9, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed an easy and affordable 3D printing method for realistic brain phantoms. These phantoms accurately benchmark magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography (MR-EPT) conductivity reconstructions.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Imaging Physics
Background:
- Magnetic Resonance Electrical Properties Tomography (MR-EPT) reconstructs tissue electrical properties (EPs) from MR data.
- Phantom studies are crucial for validating MR-EPT reconstruction algorithms using known reference EPs.
- Realistic phantoms are needed to accurately assess MR-EPT performance in complex scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a 3D printing procedure for creating realistic, brain-like phantoms.
- To enable benchmarking of MR-EPT reconstruction methods using anatomically relevant models.
- To develop an accessible and cost-effective phantom fabrication workflow.
Main Methods:
- Two distinct brain-like geometries were 3D printed with multiple compartments.
- Phantoms were filled with various saline-gelatin solutions to achieve different electrical properties.
- 3D MR-EPT reconstructions were performed at 3T, comparing reconstructed conductivity to probe measurements and simulated fields.
Main Results:
- 3D printed phantoms exhibited measured fields consistent with electromagnetic simulations.
- Reconstructed conductivity values closely matched reference measurements from saline-gelatin solutions.
- The phantoms proved suitable for benchmarking MR-EPT reconstruction accuracy.
Conclusions:
- A novel, simple, and affordable 3D printing workflow for realistic brain phantoms was established.
- These phantoms serve as valuable tools for benchmarking MR-EPT reconstruction methods.
- The developed phantoms can also be utilized for validating other quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques.
