Development of patient‐specific molecular imaging phantoms using a 3D printer. Issue 8 (16th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gear, J. I.; Long, C.; Rushforth, D.; Chittenden, S. J.; Cummings, C.; Flux, G. D.
• Is Part Of: Medical physics. Volume 41:Issue 8(2014)Part 1
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2014-07-16
• Subjects: Computed tomography -- Positron emission tomography (PET) -- Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) -- Segmentation; CAD -- computer aided software engineering -- image segmentation -- kidney -- liver -- optical polymers -- phantoms -- positron emission tomography -- printers -- single photon emission computed tomography; Rapid prototyping -- additive manufacturing -- anthropomorphic phantom -- quantitative imaging -- CAD; Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers -- Computer‐aided design -- Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific applications -- Image data processing or generation, in general -- Scintigraphy -- Measuring radioactive content of objects, e.g. contamination (whole‐body counters G01T011/63) -- Measuring half‐life of a radioactive substance; Liver -- Computed tomography -- 3D printing -- Computer software -- Dosimetry -- Positron emission tomography -- Cancer -- Kidneys; Medical physics -- Periodicals; Medical physics; Geneeskunde; Natuurkunde; Toepassingen; Biophysics; Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.153
• DOI: 10.1118/1.4887854
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-2405

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate rapid prototyping technology for the production of patient‐specific, cost‐effective liquid fillable phantoms directly from patient CT data. Methods: Liver, spleen, and kidney volumes were segmented from patient CT data. Each organ was converted to a shell and filling holes and leg supports were added using computer aided design software and prepared for printing. Additional fixtures were added to the liver to allow lesion inserts to be fixed within the structure. Phantoms were printed from an ultraviolet curable photopolymer using polyjet technology on an Objet EDEN 500V 3D printer. Results: The final print material is a clear solid acrylic plastic which is watertight, rigid, and sufficiently durable to withstand multiple assembly and scanning protocols. Initial scans of the phantoms have been performed with Tc‐99m SPECT and F‐18 PET/CT. Conclusions: The organ geometry showed good correspondence with anatomical references. The methodology developed can be generally applied to other anatomical or geometrical phantoms for molecular imaging.