title: Poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel phantoms for use in ultrasound and MR imaging.
abstract: Poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel, PVA-C, is presented as a tissue-mimicking material, suitable for application in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and ultrasound imaging. A 10% by weight poly(vinyl alcohol) in water solution was used to form PVA-C, which is solidified through a freeze-thaw process. The number of freeze-thaw cycles affects the properties of the material. The ultrasound and MR imaging characteristics were investigated using cylindrical samples of PVA-C. The speed of sound was found to range from 1520 to 1540 m s(-1), and the attenuation coefficients were in the range of 0.075-0.28 dB (cm MHz)(-1). T1 and T2 relaxation values were found to be 718-1034 ms and 108-175 ms, respectively. We also present applications of this material in an anthropomorphic brain phantom, a multi-volume stenosed vessel phantom and breast biopsy phantoms. Some suggestions are made for how best to handle this material in the phantom design and development process.
authors.affiliation: Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada.
authors.forename: K J M
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Surry
authors.forename: H J B
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenster
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001940:Breast / Q000166:cytology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002645:Chickens; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008422:Materials Testing; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol