Whole-body phantoms with anthropomorphic-shaped skeletons for evaluation of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements

• Published in: Applied radiation and isotopes Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 503 - 505
• Main Authors: Shypailo, R.J., Posada, J.K.L., Ellis, K.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.1998
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon - methods; Adipose Tissue - anatomy & histology; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Anthropometry; Anthropometry - methods; Binary mixtures; Body Constitution; Calcium; Child; Child, Preschool; Electromagnetic wave absorption; Epoxy resins; Humans; Minerals; Obesity; Phantoms, Imaging; Polyethylenes; Reproducibility of Results; Skeleton; Sodium chloride; Thinness; Water; X ray analysis
• ISSN: 0969-8043; 1872-9800
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-8043(97)00182-6

We have developed a set of four whole-body phantoms with anthropometric-shaped skeletons constructed of CaHPO 4-doped expoxy resin, to simulate average body sizes of children at ages 4, 10, 15 and 18. Each phantom was measured on a Hologic QDR-2000 instrument with and without a set of polyethylene overlays to simulate excess body fat, and with and without a 0.6% NaCl/water mixture to simulate differences in lean tissue composition. Precision of total body BMC, based on 4 scans over 2 wk, were 0.5%–1.8%, and were correlated ( r 2 = 0.999, p < 0.001) with the chemical Ca content of the simulated skeleton. The addition of overlays to the phantoms to simulate increased body size and/or body fat resulted in small but significant increases in the measured values for BMC and bone area, but not that of BMD.