Requirement analysis in medical phantom development: a survey tool approach with an illustrative example of a multimodal deformable pelvic phantom

Abstract

Introduction: Medical phantoms play a crucial role in medical imaging and therapy. However, the successful development of these phantoms heavily relies on a comprehensive understanding of the requirements specific to each application. Methods: In this paper, we emphasize the significance of requirement analysis in medical phantom development and develop a novel approach for gathering and classifying requirements specific for phantom development. Results: The implemented survey tool is designed to accommodate the diverse needs of stakeholders involved in phantom development, including medical staff, physicists, engineers, and product developers. To validate the effectiveness of the approach, we conduct the development of a multimodal deformable pelvic phantom, providing insights into the process and its applicability. Discussion: The results demonstrate the utility and reliability of our approach in systematically gathering, categorizing, and prioritizing requirements, thus facilitating the streamlined and efficient development of medical phantoms.