Advancing Phantom Fabrication: Exploring 3D-Printed Solutions for Abdominal Imaging Research
Source abstract
Abstract
Background: The development of novel medical imaging technologies and treatment procedures hinges on the availability of accurate and versatile phantoms. This paper presents a cost-effective approach for creating anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. Methods: This study proposes a cost-effective method using 3D printing and readily available materials (beeswax, plaster, and epoxy resin) to create high-fidelity anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. The three-dimensionally printed phantoms exhibited X-ray attenuation properties closely matching those of human tissues, with measured Hounsfield unit (HU) values of −115.41 ± 20.29 HU for fat, 65.61 ± 18.06 HU for muscle, and 510 ± 131.2 HU for bone. These values were compared against patient images and a commercially available phantom, and no statistically significant difference was observed in fat tissue simulation (p = 0.428). Differences were observed for muscle and bone tissues, in which the 3D-printed phantom demonstrated higher HU values compared with patient images (p < 0.001). The 3D-printed phantom’s bone simulation was statistically like that of the commercially available phantom (p = 0.063). Conclusion: This method offers a cost-effective, accessible, and customizable alternative for abdominal phantoms. This innovation has the potential to accelerate advancements in abdominal imaging research, leading to improved diagnostic tools and treatment options for patients. These phantoms could be used to develop and test new imaging techniques with high accuracy.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Anatomy and Medical Technology · Advanced X-ray and CT Imaging · Radiation Dose and Imaging
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Clinical Center Tuzla, 75000 Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Faculty of Health Studies, University Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Medical Centre Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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