title: Development of a human-tissue-like phantom for 3.0-T MRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A 3.0-T MRI phantom having human-tissue-equivalent relaxation times was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ingredients of the phantom are carrageenan (for gelatinization), GdCl(3) (as a T(1)-relaxation modifier), agarose (as a T(2)-relaxation modifier), and NaN(3) (as an antiseptic agent). Numerous samples with varying concentrations of GdCl(3) and agarose were prepared, and T(1) and T(2) were measured using 3.0-T MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relaxation times of the phantom samples ranged from 395 to 2601 ms for T(1) values and 29 to 334 ms for T(2) values. Based on the measured results, empirical formulae were devised to express the relationships between the concentrations of relaxation modifiers and relaxation times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjustment of GdCl(3) and agarose concentrations allows arbitrary setting of relaxation times, and the creation of a phantom that can mimic relaxation times of human-tissue. Carrageenan is considered the most suitable as a gelling agent for an MRI phantom, as it permits the relatively easy and inexpensive production of a large phantom such as for the human torso, and which can be easily shaped with a knife.
authors: Department of Radiology, Okayama Kyokuto Hospital, Okayama, Okayama, Japan.
authors: Yusuke
authors: Y
authors: Ikemoto
authors: Wataru
authors: W
authors: Takao
authors: Keisuke
authors: K
authors: Yoshitomi
authors: Seiichiro
authors: S
authors: Ohno
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Harimoto
authors: Susumu
authors: S
authors: Kanazawa
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Shibuya
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Kuroda
authors: Hirokazu
authors: H
authors: Kato
mesh_terms: D002351:Carrageenan; D003196:Computer Graphics; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012685:Sepharose; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002351:Carrageenan; D012685:Sepharose