Thomas Frederick Boltz BS, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

William Pavlicek PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Robert Gene Paden, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Markus Stephan Renno, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Angela Jensen BEng, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Metin Akay, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

David A. Langan PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Employee, General Electric Company

Mary Beth Peter MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The beating heart phantom provides a useful test basis that is crucial for evaluating the complexities of cardiac imaging. The phantom enables coronary angiogram image quality development outside the use of actual patients or ex vivo tissues, constituting a very effective phantom for cardiac imaging optimization.

Described here is an anatomically correct beating heart phantom designed to extensively test non-invasive imaging of the heart with CT and MR angiography.

The phantom, based upon an actual x-ray CT patient population, achieves anatomical correctness, steady and irregular heart rates, and proper coronary size and displacement. Silicone fabrications of ventricles, atria, and coronary arteries combine to produce a beating heart phantom about 9% larger than a patient heart that is housed in a lucite thorax, making the phantom CT and MR compatible. Stents and calcified and lipid plaques can be introduced into the arteries for spatial resolution and stenosis identification testing.  A PC controls both the circular compressed air system and the EKG trigger necessary for beating the heart and gating the acquisition. This EKG signal achieves a basic R-R trigger that is detected by the scanner’s EKG monitor and ranges from 40-85bpm; PVC and ventricular tachycardia are also possible.

The phantom permits repeated scanning to evaluate reproducibility between identical scans on a single scanner or between identical protocols on different scanners. Repeated irradiations of the same anatomy also permit dose reduction focused acquisitions that assess image quality by isolating any variable that affects image quality: kVp, mAs, bowtie filter, focal spot, reconstruction kernel, acquisition field of view, contrast medium concentration, heart rate, and more. With plaque percent stenosis and volume from the design specifications, known values can be compared to scanner measured values. Blooming artifact associated with the presence of stents can be evaluated/minimized because the stents true dimensions are known. Multiple phantom operation modes, including varied heart rates and simulated aberrant beats, facilitate evaluation of temporal resolution and EKG registration.

Boltz, T, Pavlicek, W, Paden, R, Renno, M, Jensen, A, Akay, M, Langan, D, Peter, M, et al, , An Anthropomorphic Beating Heart Phantom for CT and MR Testing of Cardiac Imaging Performance.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6007664.html