METHOD FOR MAKING FOETAL PHANTOM FOR FOETAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING Russian patent published in 2024 - IPC G09B23/28 

FIELD: medical simulation.

SUBSTANCE: method consists in fact that 3D printing is used to make a volumetric anthropomorphic body of uterus and foetus with all internal structures and an additional section for image quality control; to imitate relaxation characteristics of biological tissues, the model is filled with polymer compositions. Insert for controlling high-contrast spatial resolution is placed in the body and the phantom body is sealed with a cover. Phantom body is made using a three-dimensional modelling method from a material which does not chemically interact with the compositions imitating soft tissues. To simulate soft tissues, hydrogel compositions based on agarose and carrageenan are prepared, with addition of a contrast agent: for simulating lungs – agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.1-1% with addition of 10-20 mcl Gadovist®, for bladder imitation – agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.1-1% with addition of 1-5 mcl Gadovist®, for imitation of foetal muscles – mixture of kappa-carrageenan hydrogel with concentration of 0.5-3% with agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.3-1.5% with addition of 3-10 mcl of Gadovist®, for stomach imitation – agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.1-1% with addition of 1-5 mcl Gadovist®, for imitation of mother muscles – a mixture of kappa-carrageenan hydrogel with concentration of 0.5-3% with agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.3-1.8% with addition of 6-15 mcl Gadovist®, for liver imitation – agarose hydrogel with concentration of 0.3-1% with addition of 1-5 mcl of Gadovist®, for imitation of formed white matter of brain – emulsion of “oil-in-water” type on the basis of sunflower oil with fraction of fat phase in range of 35-60%. Body is filled with the compositions in stages: first, more viscous structures – mixtures of carrageenan and agarose, are poured, then agarose hydrogels, an emulsion and finally an isotonic solution. To control image quality, a section is designed in the body, the upper part of which is filled with vegetable oil; an insert obtained by stereolithography for assessing high-contrast spatial resolution is placed in its lower part and filled with an isotonic solution. Areas of stomach, bladder and brain are additionally isolated with a moisture-resistant elastic film, and the body of the assembled phantom is closed from above with a cover.

EFFECT: wider range of simulated tissues, high accuracy of making a foetus model and faster manufacture of a phantom.

1 cl, 3 dwg