In-house development of a neonatal chest simulation phantom

Abstract

The aim of the study was to design and construct an anatomical and radiological phantom of a neonatal chest for investigating image quality and patient entrance surface dose (ESD). The density, elemental composition, scatter, attenuation, and absorption characteristics of different possible substitute materials were compared to that of neonatal tissues for radiological equivalence. Availability and cost of possible substitute materials were also considered. The most optimal substitute materials were selected to represent neonatal muscle, bone, healthy or aerated and sick or collapsed lung. For anatomical equivalence, a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed on a neonatal cadaver. Dimensions of different organs and structures were measured with software measuring tools at different window and level settings. Simplifying assumptions, due to machining limitations, were made. The results were used to create scaled drawings, which were used to machine the structures of the phantom. The phantom was assembled in a layer-by-layer manner and was validated with region of interest (ROI) analyses. The neonatal chest simulation phantom was an acceptable simulation of a real neonatal chest based on ROI validation, with an overall deviation of 32.5%. The phantom was successfully used in our diagnostic radiology division for ESD and image quality investigations for chest anterior-posterior (AP) radiographs.