title: Polyvinyl alcohol cryogel: an ideal phantom material for MR studies of arterial flow and elasticity.
abstract: The authors present a unique application of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) cryogel as an anthropomorphic, elastic, vascular phantom material that can be used in MR imaging. The composition consists of two nontoxic ingredients: water and PVA. The biomechanical and MR properties can be adjusted to be similar to those of excised porcine aortas by varying the number of freeze-thaw cycles to which the PVA solution is exposed. The authors present the T1, T2, shrinkage, and tensile properties of PVA cryogel tubes as a function of freeze-thaw cycles. MR images of a dual elastic aortic phantom undergoing pulsatile motion are shown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Rutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D005615:Freezing; D005782:Gels; D018056:Hemorheology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013499:Surface Properties; D013552:Swine; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005782:Gels; D014867:Water; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol