Low-Cost Pelvic Phantom Prototype With Materials Resembling Human Tissues

IntroductionPhantoms are elements used in radiological services for quality control tests. In the case of equipment with ionizing radiation, quality control tests focus on image quality and dosimetry. These phantoms are made with materials that resemble human tissues internally but are high-cost and difficult to access for radiology services. ObjectivesTo design a methodology for creating an anthropomorphic radiology phantom with materials correlating to human tissues of the pelvis for various uses, using Hounsfield Units (HU) as a comparison. MethodologyData from 34 female patients with bone pelvis exams were collected. HU was measured in bone, muscle, and adipose tissue of the hip. Simultaneously, HU of different material mixtures was measured to correlate data between patients and materials for the creation of a right hip phantom. ResultsHU values of the materials match human tissues except for adipose tissue, which is slightly increased. The costs for phantom creation were low. Discussion and ConclusionHU estimates of materials and human tissue mostly align with those estimated in the sample and reported in the literature, achieving the creation of a low-cost phantom easily accessible for institutions or educational centers requiring quality, dosimetry, or educational tests.