Three-dimensional fuse deposition modeling of tissue-simulating phantom for biomedical optical imaging

• Published in: Journal of biomedical optics Vol. 20; no. 12; p. 121311
• Main Authors: Dong, Erbao, Zhao, Zuhua, Wang, Minjie, Xie, Yanjun, Li, Shidi, Shao, Pengfei, Cheng, Liuquan, Xu, Ronald X
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers 01.12.2015
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Brain - pathology; Calibration; Computer Simulation; Deposition; Devices; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Fuses; Gels; Graphite - chemistry; Head - anatomy & histology; Heterogeneity; Hot Temperature; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Ingredients; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical devices; Models, Theoretical; Optical Imaging - methods; Optics and Photonics; Phantoms, Imaging; Powders; Rats; Reproducibility of Results; Titanium - chemistry; Titanium dioxide; scattering; absorption; three-dimensional printing; function; optical phantom; structure; heterogeneity
• ISSN: 1083-3668; 1560-2281
• DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO.20.12.121311

Biomedical optical devices are widely used for clinical detection of various tissue anomalies. However, optical measurements have limited accuracy and traceability, partially owing to the lack of effective calibration methods that simulate the actual tissue conditions. To facilitate standardized calibration and performance evaluation of medical optical devices, we develop a three-dimensional fuse deposition modeling (FDM) technique for freeform fabrication of tissue-simulating phantoms. The FDM system uses transparent gel wax as the base material, titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder as the scattering ingredient, and graphite powder as the absorption ingredient. The ingredients are preheated, mixed, and deposited at the designated ratios layer-by-layer to simulate tissue structural and optical heterogeneities. By printing the sections of human brain model based on magnetic resonance images, we demonstrate the capability for simulating tissue structural heterogeneities. By measuring optical properties of multilayered phantoms and comparing with numerical simulation, we demonstrate the feasibility for simulating tissue optical properties. By creating a rat head phantom with embedded vasculature, we demonstrate the potential for mimicking physiologic processes of a living system.