Three-dimensional printed optical phantoms with customized absorption and scattering properties

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing offers the promise of fabricating optical phantoms with arbitrary geometry, but commercially available thermoplastics provide only a small range of physiologically relevant absorption (µa) and reduced scattering (µs`) values. Here we demonstrate customizable acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filaments for dual extrusion 3D printing of tissue mimicking optical phantoms. µa and µs` values were adjusted by incorporating nigrosin and titanium dioxide (TiO2) in the filament extrusion process. A wide range of physiologically relevant optical properties was demonstrated with an average repeatability within 11.5% for µa and 7.71% for µs`. Additionally, a mouse-simulating phantom, which mimicked both the geometry and optical properties of a hairless mouse with an implanted xenograft tumor, was printed using dual extrusion methods. 3D printed tumor optical properties matched the live tumor with less than 3% error at a wavelength of 659 nm. 3D printing with user defined optical properties may provide a viable method for durable optically diffusive phantoms for instrument characterization and calibration.

Diffuse fluorescence fiber probe for in vivo detection of circulating cells

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Scattered Dose Calculations and Measurements in a Life-Like Mouse Phantom

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Radiation Biology Irradiator Dose Verification Survey

“…The rise in popularity and capability of rapid prototyping tools, such as 3D printers and computer controlled milling machines, has allowed for a new generation of physical mouse phantoms with intricate features that closely mimic the animals they represent. Multiple mouse phantoms have been created using 3D printing, but they are often homogenous (22) and any heterogeneities that can be created are limited to variations in optical response (23,24). Bache et al employed 3D printing to produce molds for optical dosimeters, which had the same anatomical shape as small sections of a mouse, but those dosimeters also lacked structures to mimic bones and other regions of density inhomogeneity (25).…”