Design Biological Phantom for Human Breast

Abstract

Biological phantom with similar properties to the actual human breast is solution to dose estimation issues. It is definitely a safe environment for education and training purpose; therefore, the aim is always to attain the full potential of image quality. The main objective of this research was to develop a new quality-control biological phantom composed of readily available local and stable overtime material, inexpensive, and useful for mammography imaging modality. Many different local and unexpensive materials used in this research were tested using gas chromatographyYmass spectrometry and were mixed by magnetic stirrer, and then HAFA phantom was designed and imaged using a mammography machine. Finally, optical density was measured by densitometer, which was close to human breast fat, and then, the materials were compared together.Mammography test phantoms are devices used to evaluate the performance of imaging equipment, without recourse to irradiating live patients. There is lack of mammography biological phantoms in Sudan because of the high cost of the international ones. Mammography is technically one of the most demanding radiographic investigations, and consistently high-quality mammograms are difficult to obtain. 1 The need for accurate image quality in mammography is well documented. 2 Imaging of test phantoms provides information about the performance of the system in terms of measurable physical parameters such as high and low contrast resolution and enables the comparison of different imaging systems. Any given phantom though may not be well suited to both of these objectives because of their different requirement for complexity and ease of interpretation. 3 These are multiple advantages using phantoms for image quality evaluation. First, the test objects that constitute the phantom and their distribution are known and unvarying for a given phantom; thus, we know what to search for in the image. Second, images of the phantom under nonclinical conditions can be obtained without exposing the patient. Finally, it is possible to obtain as many phantom images as necessary for intercomparison, thus allowing the study of image quality over an extended period. 4 The mammographic phantom should be sensitive to changes in focal spot size and KVp (kilovolt peak), which can have a major effect on image quality. 5 The user should be satisfied when choosing a new mammographic phantom; the new one must be more sensitive to drifts in exposure condition than those in current use. 6