Review of imaging test phantoms

Abstract

. Significance Photoacoustic tomography has emerged as a prominent medical imaging technique that leverages its hybrid nature to provide deep penetration, high resolution, and exceptional optical contrast with notable applications in early cancer detection, functional brain imaging, drug delivery monitoring, and guiding interventional procedures. Test phantoms are pivotal in accelerating technology development and commercialization, specifically in photoacoustic (PA) imaging, and can be optimized to achieve significant advancements in PA imaging capabilities. Aim The analysis of material properties, structural characteristics, and manufacturing methodologies of test phantoms from existing imaging technologies provides valuable insights into their applicability to PA imaging. This investigation enables a deeper understanding of how phantoms can be effectively employed in the context of PA imaging. Approach Three primary categories of test phantoms (simple, intermediate, and advanced) have been developed to differentiate complexity and manufacturing requirements. In addition, four sub-categories (tube/channel, block, test target, and naturally occurring phantoms) have been identified to encompass the structural variations within these categories, resulting in a comprehensive classification system for test phantoms. Results Based on a thorough examination of literature and studies on phantoms in various imaging modalities, proposals have been put forth for the development of multiple PA-capable phantoms, encompassing considerations related to the material composition, structural design, and specific applications within each sub-category. Conclusions The advancement of novel and sophisticated test phantoms within each sub-category is poised to foster substantial progress in both the commercialization and development of PA imaging. Moreover, the continued refinement of test phantoms will enable the exploration of new applications and use cases for PA imaging.

Optical tuning of copolymer-in-oil tissue-mimicking materials for multispectral photoacoustic imaging

“…The absence of reliable and robust phantoms for evaluating the performance of quantitative methods and biophotonic devices before animal or human studies is a significant drawback impacting the development and clinical translation of these technologies (Bohndiek et al 2013, Hacker et al 2022, Christie et al 2023. Creating phantoms for hybrid imaging and sensing technologies, like PAI, presents unique challenges as several relevant optical, acoustic, mechanical, and thermoelastic properties need to be tissue-like, stable, and ideally independently adjustable.…”

“…The demand for tissue-mimicking materials (TMMs) is increasing alongside the advancement of hybrid imaging and sensing techniques such as photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and ultrasound optical tomography (UOT) (Fonseca et al 2016, Vogt et al 2016, Bengtsson et al 2019, Bengtsson et al 2022, Christie et al 2023. Calibration of these imaging modalities, as well as the development and assessment of new quantitative methods, necessitate TMMs with tunable properties (Pogue and Patterson 2006, Bohndiek et al 2020, Hacker et al 2022.…”