An MRI-conditional motion phantom for the evaluation of high-intensity focused ultrasound protocols

Abstract

Background: The respiratory motion of abdominal organs is a serious obstacle in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. In this study, a two-dimensional (2D) MRI-conditional motion phantom device was developed in order to evaluate HIFU protocols in synchronized and non-synchronized ablation of moving targets. Materials and methods: The 2D phantom device simulates the respiratory motion of moving organs in both the left–right and craniocaudal directions. The device consists of MR-conditional materials which have been produced by a three-dimensional (3D) printer. Results: The MRI compatibility of the motion phantom was tested successfully in an MRI scanner. In vitro experiments were carried out to evaluate HIFU ablation protocols that are minimally affected by target motion. Conclusion: It was shown that only in synchronized mode does HIFU produce thermal lesions, as tested on a gel phantom mimicking the moving target. The MRI-conditional phantom device was shown to be functional for its purpose and can be used as an evaluation tool for testing HIFU protocols for moving targets in an MRI environment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.