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Updated: Jan 11, 2026
Manufacturing Abdominal Aorta Hydrogel Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms for Ultrasound Elastography Validation
Published on: September 19, 2018
Development and Characteristics of a Dual-Layered Vascular Phantom
Kaitlyn M Elmer1, Cassidy Caffin1, Breeanna Scott1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
Purpose:
Cardiovascular phantoms are used in biomedical research and development applications, allowing for complex geometries to be studied in a controlled environment. The various layers of human tissue have been difficult to mimic in these phantoms. In this study, a novel dual-layer cardiovascular phantom is created.
Methods:
The interior lumen is 3D printed using an elastic vat-photopolymerization resin and cast within an industry standard tissue-mimicking ballistics gel. Strips of the 3D-printed resin were prepared and tested to determine Young's modulus, Ultimate tensile strength, and elongation at break.
Results:
The final phantoms were reproducible, semi-transparent, and suitable for microCT scanning. Additionally, the 3D-printed elastic materials had: Young's Modulus of 12 +/- 3.2 MPa, UTS of 1.27 +/- 0.44 MPa, and elongation at break of 29 +/- 9%. These results are within the physiological ranges of human tissues. There was a moderate correlation between the thickness of the sample and stiffness, which may be important depending on the application of the models.
Conclusion:
The methods for producing a dual-layered phantom are reproducible and appropriate for a variety of biomedical applications.
