Realistic 3D printed imaging tumor phantoms for validation of image processing algorithms

TL;DR

This study presents a cost-effective method using filament 3D printing to create realistic lung tumor phantoms that replicate human tissue properties for validating imaging algorithms.

Contribution

A simple protocol for manufacturing realistic, customizable 3D printed tumor phantoms with accurate radiodensity and morphology for medical imaging validation.

Findings

Achieved HU range of -217 to 226 in printed phantoms matching real tumors.

Phantoms accurately replicated tumor morphology and heterogeneity.

Heterogeneity did not significantly affect image registration validation.

Abstract

Medical imaging phantoms are widely used for validation and verification of imaging systems and algorithms in surgical guidance and radiation oncology procedures. Especially, for the performance evaluation of new algorithms in the field of medical imaging, manufactured phantoms need to replicate specific properties of the human body, e.g., tissue morphology and radiological properties. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology provides an inexpensive opportunity for accurate anatomical replication with customization capabilities. In this study, we proposed a simple and cheap protocol to manufacture realistic tumor phantoms based on the filament 3D printing technology. Tumor phantoms with both homogenous and heterogenous radiodensity were fabricated. The radiodensity similarity between the printed tumor models and real tumor data from CT images of lung cancer patients was evaluated. Additionally, it was investigated whether a heterogeneity in the 3D printed tumor phantoms as observed in the tumor patient data had an influence on the validation of image registration algorithms. A density range between -217 to 226 HUs was achieved for 3D printed phantoms; this range of radiation attenuation is also observed in the human lung tumor tissue. The resulted HU range could serve as a lookup-table for researchers and phantom manufactures to create realistic CT tumor phantoms with the desired range of radiodensities. The 3D printed tumor phantoms also precisely replicated real lung tumor patient data regarding morphology and could also include life-like heterogeneity of the radiodensity inside the tumor models. An influence of the heterogeneity on accuracy and robustness of the image registration algorithms was not found.