Construction of a breast phantom from low-coast materials for image quality assessment by ultrasound

Abstract

ANVISA Resolution, RDC nº 611/22 proposes, among other regulations, quality control tests of medical radiodiagnostic equipment and, as a news, the establishment of evaluation of image quality assessment in non-ionizing radiation emitters. The main purpose of the study is the development of a breast phantom with silicone implant made with low-cost materials for the assessment of image quality ultrasound. The phantom was created based on a material that, due to the interaction with sound, mimic the image of the breast tissue by ultrasound. In the base material, a silicone breast implant was inserted, simulator structures of the main clinical findings found in the breast, and structures for image quality control tests. It is concluded, through the quantitative evaluating of the physical parameters of the interaction of each material with the ultrasound, properties similar to those described in the literature to mimic the breast tissue, values also compared to the parameters of a commercial phantom and characteristic values of biological tissues, such as soft tissues and fat. The results of the qualitative evaluation of the image produced from the phantom showed a very close relationship between the device created with the real breast tissue, with the main clinical findings, and the inclusions that simulate the image quality test structures. The proposed phantom proved to be capable of serving as a quality control test, and can be used to improve the visualization of breast tissue with silicone implants, enhancing its use in training multidisciplinary teams.