Fabrication and control of CT number through polymeric composites based on coronary plaque CT phantom applications
Biomedical phantoms are commonly used for various medical imaging modalities to improve imaging quality and procedures. Current biomedical phantoms fabricated commercially are high in cost and limited in the specificity of human environments and structures that can be mimicked. This study aimed to control the measurable computed tomography (CT) number in Hounsfield units through polymeric biomedical phantom materials using controlled amounts of hydroxyapatite (hA). The purpose was to fabricate CT phantoms capable of mimicking various coronary plaque types while introducing a fabrication technique and basis for a numerical model to which the technique may be applied. The CT number is tunable based on the controlled material properties of electron density and atomic numbers. Three different polymeric matrices of polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) were selected due to their varied specific densities and ease of fabrication acting as integral properties for CT phantom fabrication. These polymers were processed together with additions of hA in mass percentages of 2.5, 5, 10, and 20% hA as well as a 0% hA as a control for each polymeric material. By adding hA to PE, TPU, and PVDF an increasing trend was exhibited between CT number and weight percent of hA. © 2016 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) [DOI: 10.1117/1.JMI.3.1.016001] Keywords: computed tomography; polymer; attenuation; microfabrication; image analysis; tissues. Paper 15129RR received Jun. 24, 2015; accepted for publication Jan. 22, 2016; published online Feb. 18, 2016. Introduction Polymers and various polymeric composites have been commonly utilized as computed tomography (CT) phantoms due to their manufacturability and potential for wide ranged material properties.15 However, current phantom devices are specific to the desired tissue whereas some studies aiming to improve CT medical imaging necessitate the control of...
