Gravid Abdomen Phantom With Motion Assembly for Fetal MRI Artifacts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current MRI phantoms lack the ability to accurately simulate the physiological motion of a prenatal fetus and placenta, leading to motion artifacts that degrade image quality, and existing materials fail to mimic the electromagnetic properties and structural integrity of human tissues, particularly in high-field MRI environments.
Innovation Solution
Development of a gravid abdomen phantom using carrageenan-based materials with specific concentrations of GdCl3, MnCl2, and other additives to mimic the relaxation times and conductivity of brain, muscle, and placenta tissues, combined with a motion assembly to simulate fetal movements, and an amniotic fluid composition to replicate the NMR spectrum of natural amniotic fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional MRI phantoms are used, then imaging can be performed, but motion artifacts degrade image quality because they cannot simulate physiological fetal motion
Solution Approach 1:
The phantom incorporates a motion assembly with actuators that dynamically simulate fetal movements including gross body movements, respiratory-like movements, and head movements. This dynamic capability allows the phantom to replicate physiological motion patterns that cause motion artifacts in actual fetal MRI, enabling reliable testing of motion correction algorithms and sequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom creates a realistic copy of the fetal environment by using tissue-mimicking materials with electromagnetic properties matching human tissues, combined with programmed motion patterns that replicate actual fetal behavior. This copying approach allows researchers to study motion artifacts and test imaging sequences without exposing actual fetuses to prolonged scanning or potential risks.
2Measurement precision
If existing tissue-mimicking materials are used, then phantom construction is simple, but they fail to accurately mimic electromagnetic properties and structural integrity of human tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The tissue-mimicking materials use adjustable parameters including relaxation times (T1, T2), conductivity, and viscosity to accurately match human tissues. By precisely controlling these parameters through material composition and additives, the phantom achieves high measurement precision for electromagnetic properties while maintaining reproducible results across different scanning conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom employs composite tissue-mimicking materials that combine multiple substances to achieve desired electromagnetic properties and mechanical characteristics. These composite materials provide both structural integrity for maintaining phantom shape during motion and accurate electromagnetic properties for realistic signal generation, balancing complexity with performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a motion assembly is added to simulate fetal movements, then physiological motion can be replicated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motion assembly is segmented into independent actuators and linkages that can be controlled separately to produce different types of fetal movements. This modular segmentation allows precise control over gross body movements, respiratory-like movements, and head movements independently, enabling versatile motion simulation while keeping each component relatively simple and manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides high-quality imaging simulations by accurately mimicking the physiological motion and tissue properties of a prenatal fetus and placenta, reducing motion artifacts and enhancing MRI image quality.
Implementation Method 1
mimic the relaxation times and conductivity of brain, muscle, and placenta tissues
Implementation Method 2
a motion assembly to simulate fetal movements
Implementation Method 3
carrageenan-based materials with specific concentrations of GdCl3, MnCl2, and other additives
Implementation Method 4
an amniotic fluid composition to replicate the NMR spectrum of natural amniotic fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to gravid abdomen phantoms and tissue mimicking materials that can be used in preparing phantoms. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to brain grey and white matter mimicking material, muscle tissue mimicking material, placenta mimicking material, and amniotic fluid mimicking compositions, and phantoms thereof. The present disclosure further relates to methods and uses of the materials and phantoms of the present application. The materials and phantoms of the present disclosure can be combined to prepare a fetal phantom of the disclosure. The present disclosure also relates to a motion assembly that can be used with the phantoms of the disclosure.