Phantom With Foam Separation Element for MR Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance (MR)-based imaging methods experience image-geometrical distortions due to deviations in magnetic field strengths, particularly at high field strengths above 3 tesla, limiting the informative value of generated images and posing challenges in using phantoms for MR and PET imaging due to increased radioactive exposure and chemical shift effects.
Innovation Solution
A phantom with a hollow base body subdivided by a foam separation element into smaller volume portions, reducing dielectric effects and varying signal intensities, allowing for improved detection of geometric distortions and safe operation at high magnetic field strengths, and enabling the use of oil instead of water to minimize radioactive exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a large phantom volume is used for MR imaging at high field strengths above 3 tesla, then the phantom can represent realistic tissue volumes, but dielectric effects increase causing strong signal intensity variations
Solution Approach 1:
The phantom is divided into multiple smaller volume portions by separation elements, allowing each portion to be filled with different materials. This segmentation reduces dielectric effects within each smaller volume while maintaining overall phantom realism for MR imaging at high field strengths.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oil is used instead of water in the phantom, then radioactive exposure to operators is reduced, but the options for MR imaging are limited by chemical shift effects
Solution Approach 1:
Different volume portions of the phantom can be filled with different materials (water, oil, or other substances) depending on the specific imaging requirements. This allows optimization for reduced radioactive exposure in some regions while maintaining MR imaging versatility in others by selecting appropriate filling materials for each local region.
3Adaptability or versatility
If activity is introduced into phantoms filled with oil, then PET imaging data can be generated, but the mixing is difficult and temporal exposure of operators increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phantom is segmented into separate volume portions that can be independently filled and handled. Activity can be introduced into specific portions filled with water or other compatible materials without requiring mixing throughout the entire phantom volume, thereby reducing operator temporal exposure while maintaining PET imaging capability.
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 phantom effectively reduces signal intensity variations and geometric distortions at high magnetic field strengths, enhancing the accuracy of MR and PET imaging while minimizing operator exposure to radiation by subdividing the interior volume into smaller portions with a foam separation element, allowing for precise geometric representation and tissue simulation.
Implementation Method 1
there are strong variations in the signal intensity when carrying out MR imaging methods, particularly as a result of increases in dielectric effects when using high basic field strengths of the applied magnetic field above 3 tesla
Data Source
AI summary
A phantom, particularly for use in MR- or PET-based imaging methods, includes a hollow base body that delimits an interior volume, wherein the interior volume is subdivided into at least two volume portions by at least one separation element, and wherein the separation element or a section thereof consists of foam.