Universal Phantom for CT and MRT Quality Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current quality inspection methods for CT and MRT equipment require multiple specific phantoms for evaluating various parameters, leading to high costs and inconsistencies in measurement comparisons across different manufacturing companies, with existing universal phantoms unable to assess a comprehensive set of parameters effectively.
Innovation Solution
A universal phantom with a parallelepiped-shaped container divided into sections filled with fluids or solid inserts, made of PMMA, capable of evaluating multiple essential parameters for quality inspections in both CT and MRT, using a single measurement protocol and suitable chemical composition for each equipment type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple specific phantoms are used for different parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate phantoms (uniformity phantom, resolution phantom, artifacts phantom) into a single integrated phantom structure. This unified phantom contains all necessary sections and features to evaluate multiple parameters simultaneously, reducing the number of separate devices from three or more to one, while maintaining comprehensive measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom is designed with multi-functional sections that can evaluate different parameters within a single device. The first section evaluates uniformity, the second section evaluates spatial resolution, and the third section evaluates artifacts, allowing one phantom to perform multiple quality inspection functions that previously required separate dedicated phantoms.
2Measurement precision
If multiple specific phantoms are used for different parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple previously separate phantoms (uniformity phantom, resolution phantom, artifacts phantom) into a single integrated phantom structure. This unified phantom contains all necessary sections and features to evaluate multiple parameters simultaneously, reducing the number of separate devices from three or more to one, while maintaining comprehensive measurement capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If equipment-specific phantoms are used, then measurement precision for that equipment is improved, but adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The phantom is designed with multi-functional sections that can evaluate different parameters within a single device. The first section evaluates uniformity, the second section evaluates spatial resolution, and the third section evaluates artifacts, allowing one phantom to perform multiple quality inspection functions that previously required separate dedicated phantoms.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a phantom for periodical measurements of parameters allowing to ensure that performance of equipment for computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance tomography are compliant to established acceptability criteria, that is performance are constant in time. The main characteristic of such phantom is that the same phantom may be used for measurements of different physical parameters and for different machines, even of different type, such as machines for CT and/or MRT. The universal phantom described is made of a rectangular parallelepiped in PMMA made of different sections that may be filled with an appropriate liquid and/or contain different inserts according to the measurements to be performed, such as for example noise and uniformity, CT number linearity, high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast spatial resolution, layer thickness, etc.