Toward Quantitative X-Ray CT Phantoms of Metastatic Tumors Using Rapid Prototyping Technology.

Yoo TS, Hamilton T, Hurt D, Caban J, Liao D, Chen D

In: Pan X, Liebling M, editors. Proceedings of ISBI 2011: IEEE Computer Society International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro; 2011 Mar 30-Apr 2; Chicago. p. 1770-3. DOI: 10.1109/ISBI.2011.5872749.

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Abstract:

We are seeking ground-truth 3D X-ray CT phantoms with gradations of Hounsfield units that are indistinguishable from scans of human subjects. We modified a 3D printer, a ZCorp Spectrum 510, adding an iodine-based contrast agent, and printed physical models using a powder which consists mainly of cellulose and cornstarch. We scanned these 3D models with a Siemens Somatom Definition AS 128-slice CT scanner. By adjusting the level of iodine within the model, we are able to achieve Hounsfield units as high as 1056, mimicking bone, and as low as -450, similar to pulmonary tissue. We demonstrate how to generate grayscale images within a 3D model that can be imaged using a CT scanner. Unlike solid tumor phantoms, these models can accurately mimic lesions with indistinct boundaries similar to metastatic disease. Our intent is to evaluate the accuracy of computer aided diagnosis systems.

Yoo TS, Hamilton T, Hurt D, Caban J, Liao D, Chen D. Toward Quantitative X-Ray CT Phantoms of Metastatic Tumors Using Rapid Prototyping Technology. 
In: Pan X, Liebling M, editors. Proceedings of ISBI 2011: IEEE Computer Society International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro; 2011 Mar 30-Apr 2; Chicago. p. 1770-3. DOI: 10.1109/ISBI.2011.5872749.

URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=5872749&tag=1