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Andrade EMR, Paixão L, Mendes BM, Fonseca TCF. RFPID: development and 3D-printing of a female physical phantom for whole-body counter. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2024; 10:045015. [PMID: 38697045 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ad4650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Whole-body counters (WBC) are used in internal dosimetry forin vivomonitoring in radiation protection. The calibration processes of a WBC set-up include the measurement of a physical phantom filled with a certificate radioactive source that usually is referred to a standard set of individuals determined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The aim of this study was to develop an anthropomorphic and anthropometric female physical phantom for the calibration of the WBC systems. The reference female computational phantom of the ICRP, now called RFPID (Reference Female Phantom for Internal Dosimetry) was printed using PLA filament and with an empty interior. The goal is to use the RFPID to reduce the uncertainties associated within vivomonitoring system. The images which generated the phantom were manipulated using ImageJ®, Amide®, GIMP®and the 3D Slicer®software. RFPID was split into several parts and printed using a 3D printer in order to print the whole-body phantom. The newly printed physical phantom RFPID was successfully fabricated, and it is suitable to mimic human tissue, anatomically similar to a human body i.e., size, shape, material composition, and density.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M R Andrade
- Nuclear Engineering Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Nuclear Technology Development Center, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - L Paixão
- Anatomy and Imaging Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - B M Mendes
- Nuclear Technology Development Center, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - T C F Fonseca
- Nuclear Engineering Department, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Nuclear Technology Development Center, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Antoniou A, Nikolaou A, Georgiou A, Evripidou N, Damianou C. Development of an US, MRI, and CT imaging compatible realistic mouse phantom for thermal ablation and focused ultrasound evaluation. ULTRASONICS 2023; 131:106955. [PMID: 36854247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2023.106955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tissue mimicking phantoms (TMPs) play an essential role in modern biomedical research as cost-effective quality assurance and training tools, simultaneously contributing to the reduction of animal use. Herein, we present the development and evaluation of an anatomically accurate mouse phantom intended for image-guided thermal ablation and Focused Ultrasound (FUS) applications. The proposed mouse model consists of skeletal and soft tissue mimics, whose design was based on the Computed tomography (CT) scans data of a live mouse. Advantageously, it is compatible with US, CT, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The compatibility assessment was focused on the radiological behavior of the phantom due to the lack of relevant literature. The X-ray linear attenuation coefficient of candidate materials was estimated to assess the one that matches best the radiological behavior of living tissues. The bone part was manufactured by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printing using Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) material. For the soft-tissue mimic, a special mold was 3D printed having a cavity with the unique shape of the mouse body and filled with an agar-based silica-doped gel. The mouse phantom accurately matched the size and reproduced the body surface of the imaged mouse. Tissue-equivalency in terms of X-ray attenuation was demonstrated for the agar-based soft-tissue mimic. The phantom demonstrated excellent MRI visibility of the skeletal and soft-tissue mimics. Good radiological contrast between the skeletal and soft-tissue models was also observed in the CT scans. The model was also able to reproduce realistic behavior during trans-skull sonication as proved by thermocouple measurements. Overall, the proposed phantom is inexpensive, ergonomic, and realistic. It could constitute a powerful tool for image-guided thermal ablation and FUS studies in terms of testing and optimizing the performance of relevant equipment and protocols. It also possess great potential for use in transcranial FUS applications, including the emerging topic of FUS-mediated blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Antoniou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Anastasia Nikolaou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Andreas Georgiou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Nikolas Evripidou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
| | - Christakis Damianou
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Informatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
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Caravaca J, Peter R, Yang J, Gunther C, Antonio Camara Serrano J, Nostrand C, Steri V, Seo Y. Comparison and calibration of dose delivered by 137Cs and x-ray irradiators in mice. Phys Med Biol 2022; 67:10.1088/1361-6560/ac9e88. [PMID: 36317316 PMCID: PMC9933773 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac9e88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Objective.The Office of Radiological Security, U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, is implementing a radiological risk reduction program which seeks to minimize or eliminate the use of high activity radiological sources, including137Cs, by replacing them with non-radioisotopic technologies, such as x-ray irradiators. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the equivalence of the dose delivered by gamma- and x-ray irradiators in mice using experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. We also propose a novel biophantom as anin situdose calibration method.Approach.We irradiated mouse carcasses and 3D-printed mouse biophantoms in a137Cs irradiator (Mark I-68) and an x-ray irradiator (X-Rad320) at three voltages (160 kVp, 225 kVp and 320 kVp) and measured the delivered radiation dose. A Geant4-based Monte Carlo model was developed and validated to provide a comprehensive picture of gamma- and x-ray irradiation in mice.Main Results.Our Monte Carlo model predicts a uniform dose delivered in soft-tissue for all the explored irradiation programs and in agreement with the absolute dose measurements. Our Monte Carlo model shows an energy-dependent difference between dose in bone and in soft tissue that decreases as photon energy increases. Dose rate depends on irradiator and photon energy. We observed a deviation of the measured dose from the target value of up to -9% for the Mark I-68, and up to 35% for the X-Rad320. The dose measured in the 3D-printed phantoms are equivalent to that in the carcasses within 6% uncertainty.Significance.Our results suggest that 320 kVp irradiation is a good candidate to substitute137Cs irradiation barring a few caveats. There is a significant difference between measured and targeted doses for x-ray irradiation that suggests a strong need forin situcalibration, which can be achieved with 3D-printed mouse biophantoms. A dose correction is necessary for bone doses, which can be provided by a Monte Carlo calculation. Finally, the biological implications of the differences in dose rates and dose per photon for the different irradiation methods should be carefully assessed for each small-animal irradiation experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Caravaca
- Physics Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Robin Peter
- Physics Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco;,Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Jaewon Yang
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | | | | | | | - Veronica Steri
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Youngho Seo
- Physics Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco;,Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
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Ma D, Gao R, Li M, Qiu J. Mechanical and medical imaging properties of 3D-printed materials as tissue equivalent materials. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2021; 23:e13495. [PMID: 34878729 PMCID: PMC8833282 DOI: 10.1002/acm2.13495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Three materials of polylactic acid (PLA), polyamide 12 (PA12), and light curing resin (LCR) were used to construct phantom using 3D printing technology. The mechanical and medical imaging properties of the three materials, such as elastic modulus, density, effective atomic number, X‐ray attenuation coefficient, computed tomography (CT) number, and acoustic properties, were investigated. The results showed that the elastic modulus for PLA was 1.98 × 103 MPa, for PA12 was 848 MPa, for LCR was 1.18×103 MPa, and that of three materials was close to some bones. In the range of 40∼120 kV, the X‐ray attenuation coefficient of three materials decreased with increasing tube voltage. The CT number for PLA, PA12, and LCR was 144, −88, and 312 Hounsfield units at 120 kV tube voltage, respectively. The density and the effective atomic number product (ρ*Zeff) were computed from three materials and decreased in the order of LCR, PLA, and PA12. The acoustic properties of materials were also studied. The speeds of sound of three materials were similar with those of some soft tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Depeng Ma
- Medical Engineering and Technology Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, P. R. China.,Qingdao 3E3D Tech. Co. Ltd., Qingdao, P. R. China
| | - Ronghui Gao
- Health Care Department, Taishan Sanatorium of Shandong, Province, Taian, P. R. China
| | - Minghui Li
- Medical Engineering and Technology Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, P. R. China
| | - Jianfeng Qiu
- Medical Engineering and Technology Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, P. R. China.,Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, P. R. China.,Qingdao 3E3D Tech. Co. Ltd., Qingdao, P. R. China
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Comparative analysis of the transmission properties of tissue equivalent materials. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.04.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Esplen N, Therriault-Proulx F, Beaulieu L, Bazalova-Carter M. Preclinical dose verification using a 3D printed mouse phantom for radiobiology experiments. Med Phys 2019; 46:5294-5303. [PMID: 31461781 DOI: 10.1002/mp.13790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Dose verification in preclinical radiotherapy is often challenged by a lack of standardization in the techniques and technologies commonly employed along with the inherent difficulty of dosimetry associated with small-field kilovoltage sources. As a consequence, the accuracy of dosimetry in radiobiological research has been called into question. Fortunately, the development and characterization of realistic small-animal phantoms has emerged as an effective and accessible means of improving dosimetric accuracy and precision in this context. The application of three-dimensional (3D) printing, in particular, has enabled substantial improvements in the conformity of representative phantoms with respect to the small animals they are modeled after. In this study, our goal was to evaluate a fully 3D printed mouse phantom for use in preclinical treatment verification of sophisticated therapies for various anatomical targets of therapeutic interest. METHODS An anatomically realistic mouse phantom was 3D printed based on segmented microCT data of a tumor-bearing mouse. The phantom was modified to accommodate both laser-cut EBT3 radiochromic film within the mouse thorax and a plastic scintillator dosimeter (PSD), which may be placed within the brain, abdomen, or 1-cm flank subcutaneous tumor. Various treatments were delivered on an image-guided small-animal irradiator in order to determine the doses to isocenter using a PSD and validate lateral- and depth-dose distributions using film dosimeters. On-board cone-beam CT imaging was used to localize isocenter to the film plane or PSD active element prior to irradiation. The PSD irradiations comprised a 3 × 3 mm2 brain arc, 5 × 5 mm2 parallel-opposed pair (POP), and 5-beam 10 × 10 mm2 abdominal coplanar arrangement while two-dimensional (2D) film dose distributions were acquired using a 3 × 3 mm2 arc and both 5 × 5 and 10 × 10 mm2 3-beam coplanar plans. A validated Monte Carlo (MC) model of the source was used as to verify the accuracy of the film and PSD dose measurements. computer-aided design (CAD) geometries for the mouse phantom and dosimeters were imported directly into the MC code to allow for highly accurate reproduction of the physical experiment conditions. Experimental and MC-derived film data were co-registered and film dose profiles were compared for points above 90% of the dose maximum. Point dose measurements obtained with the PSD were similarly compared for each of the candidate (brain, abdomen, and tumor) treatment sites. RESULTS For each treatment configuration and anatomical target, the MC-calculated and measured doses met the proposed 5% agreement goal for dose accuracy in radiobiology experiments. The 2D film and MC dose distributions were successfully registered and mean doses for lateral profiles were found to agree to within 2.3% in all cases. Isocentric point-dose measurements taken with the PSD were similarly consistent, with a maximum percentage deviation of 3.2%. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms the utility of 3D printed phantom design in providing accurate dose estimates for a variety of preclinical treatment paradigms. As a tool for pretreatment dose verification, the phantom may be of particular interest to researchers for its ability to facilitate precise dosimetry while fostering a reduction in cost for radiobiology experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nolan Esplen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - François Therriault-Proulx
- Departement de Radio-Oncologie and Centre de recherche du CHU de Quebec, CHU de Quebec, Quebec, QC, G1R 3S1, Canada
| | - Luc Beaulieu
- Departement de Radio-Oncologie and Centre de recherche du CHU de Quebec, CHU de Quebec, Quebec, QC, G1R 3S1, Canada.,Departement de physique and Centre de recherche sur le Cancer, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
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Biglin ER, Price GJ, Chadwick AL, Aitkenhead AH, Williams KJ, Kirkby KJ. Preclinical dosimetry: exploring the use of small animal phantoms. Radiat Oncol 2019; 14:134. [PMID: 31366364 PMCID: PMC6670203 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-019-1343-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Preclinical radiotherapy studies using small animals are an indispensable step in the pathway from in vitro experiments to clinical implementation. As radiotherapy techniques advance in the clinic, it is important that preclinical models evolve to keep in line with these developments. The use of orthotopic tumour sites, the development of tissue-equivalent mice phantoms and the recent introduction of image-guided small animal radiation research platforms has enabled similar precision treatments to be delivered in the laboratory. These technological developments, however, are hindered by a lack of corresponding dosimetry standards and poor reporting of methodologies. Without robust and well documented preclinical radiotherapy quality assurance processes, it is not possible to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of dose measurements between laboratories. As a consequence current RT-based preclinical models are at risk of becoming irrelevant. In this review we explore current standardization initiatives, focusing in particular on recent developments in small animal irradiation equipment, 3D printing technology to create customisable tissue-equivalent dosimetry phantoms and combining these phantoms with commonly used detectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Biglin
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, 3rd floor Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.
| | - Gareth J Price
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, 3rd floor Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.,The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Amy L Chadwick
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, 3rd floor Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.,The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam H Aitkenhead
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, 3rd floor Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.,The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Kaye J Williams
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Karen J Kirkby
- Division of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester Cancer Research Centre, 3rd floor Proton Beam Therapy Centre, Oak Road, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.,The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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8
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He Y, Qin S, Dyer BA, Zhang H, Zhao L, Chen T, Zheng F, Sun Y, Shi L, Rong Y, Qiu J. Characterizing mechanical and medical imaging properties of polyvinyl chloride-based tissue-mimicking materials. J Appl Clin Med Phys 2019; 20:176-183. [PMID: 31207035 PMCID: PMC6612694 DOI: 10.1002/acm2.12661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a commonly used tissue‐mimicking material (TMM) for phantom construction using 3D printing technology. PVC‐based TMMs consist of a mixture of PVC powder and dioctyl terephthalate as a softener. In order to allow the clinical use of a PVC‐based phantom use across CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging platforms, we evaluated the mechanical and physical imaging characteristics of ten PVC samples. The samples were made with different PVC‐softener ratios to optimize phantom bioequivalence with physiologic human tissue. Phantom imaging characteristics, including computed tomography (CT) number, MRI relaxation time, and mechanical properties (e.g., Poisson’s ratio and elastic modulus) were quantified. CT number varied over a range of approximately −10 to 110 HU. The relaxation times of the T1‐weighted and T2‐weighted images were 206.81 ± 17.50 and 20.22 ± 5.74 ms, respectively. Tensile testing was performed to evaluate mechanical properties on the three PVC samples that were closest to human tissue. The elastic moduli for these samples ranged 7.000–12.376 MPa, and Poisson’s ratios were 0.604–0.644. After physical and imaging characterization of the various PVC‐based phantoms, we successfully produced a bioequivalent phantom compatible with multimodal imaging platforms for machine calibration and image optimization/benchmarking. By combining PVC with 3D printing technologies, it is possible to construct imaging phantoms simulating human anatomies with tissue equivalency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao He
- Medical engineering and technology center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Imaging-X Joint laboratory, Taian, China.,Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Shengxue Qin
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Brandon A Dyer
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Hongbin Zhang
- College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Lifen Zhao
- School of Material Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Tiao Chen
- Medical engineering and technology center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Imaging-X Joint laboratory, Taian, China.,Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Department of Radiology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, China
| | - Fenglian Zheng
- Medical engineering and technology center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Imaging-X Joint laboratory, Taian, China.,Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Yong Sun
- Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Liting Shi
- Medical engineering and technology center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Imaging-X Joint laboratory, Taian, China.,Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
| | - Yi Rong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jianfeng Qiu
- Medical engineering and technology center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China.,Imaging-X Joint laboratory, Taian, China.,Radiology Department, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, China
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Esplen N, Alyaqoub E, Bazalova-Carter M. Technical Note: Manufacturing of a realistic mouse phantom for dosimetry of radiobiology experiments. Med Phys 2018; 46:1030-1036. [PMID: 30488962 DOI: 10.1002/mp.13310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The goal of this work was to design a realistic mouse phantom as a useful tool for accurate dosimetry in radiobiology experiments. METHODS A subcutaneous tumor-bearing mouse was scanned in a microCT scanner, its organs manually segmented and contoured. The resulting geometries were converted into a stereolithographic file format (STL) and sent to a multimaterial 3D printer. The phantom was split into two parts to allow for lung excavation and 3D-printed with an acrylic-like material and consisted of the main body (mass density ρ=1.18 g/cm3 ) and bone (ρ=1.20 g/cm3 ). The excavated lungs were filled with polystyrene (ρ=0.32 g/cm3 ). Three cavities were excavated to allow the placement of a 1-mm diameter plastic scintillator dosimeter (PSD) in the brain, the center of the body and a subcutaneous tumor. Additionally, a laser-cut Gafchromic film can be placed in between the two phantom parts for 2D dosimetric evaluation. The expected differences in dose deposition between mouse tissues and the mouse phantom for a 220-kVp beam delivered by the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) were calculated by Monte Carlo (MC). RESULTS MicroCT scans of the phantom showed excellent material uniformity and confirmed the material densities given by the manufacturer. MC dose calculations revealed that the dose measured by tissue-equivalent dosimeters inserted into the phantom in the brain, abdomen, and subcutaneous tumor would be underestimated by 3-5%, which is deemed to be an acceptable error assuming the proposed 5% accuracy of radiobiological experiments. CONCLUSIONS The low-cost mouse phantom can be easily manufactured and, after a careful dosimetric characterization, may serve as a useful tool for dose verification in a range of radiobiology experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nolan Esplen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Eisa Alyaqoub
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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