New method for the production of radiologic phantoms

Tissue equivalent (TE) phantoms are valuable in imaging but can be expensive or difficult to make in house. This paper presents a simple and inexpensive method for fabricating TE phantoms simulating soft tissue for use in radiological imaging. Three basic constituents are used whose quantity, within limits, can be independently adjusted. Water and gelatin (collagen) are combined to make a gel; corn oil (lipid) can be added to the gel in an emulsion or can be poured into a container on top of the set gel to a desired thickness. Mammographic phantoms have been produced that have been useful in studying the relationship between dose, kVp, and contrast in mammography. CT phantoms have been constructed with simulated tumors in a liver background. Contrast down to 1 HU (0.1%) can be reliably produced