Current state of elastography research in multiple anatomical structures and respective phantoms

Ultrasound elastography (USE) has gained significant attention in recent years as a non-invasive method for assessing tissue elasticity, offering the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy. With the quick development of this technique, there is a growing demand for calibrated phantoms to validate elastography systems. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide insights into the current state of elastography research in multiple anatomical structures, which include: liver, breast, prostate, kidneys, blood vessels, heart, eyes, brain, muscles, tendons, and respective phantoms.

The PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from January 2019 to May 2024, using specifically selected keywords, to identify relevant studies. Studies that did not use phantoms were not included in this review.

Elastography research uses a wide range of phantoms, mainly for validating innovative approaches and evaluating the performance of existing ones. Phantoms made from gelatin, agar, and poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel (PVA-C), along with commercially available phantoms, were the most common across the compiled papers.

Overall, an effort in the advancement of new elastography approaches is notorious, but the manufacturing of specialized phantoms that more accurately replicate the properties of living tissue remains a field with significant growth potential.