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Anthropomorphic breast phantom for image guided procedure training

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Developing an anthropomorphic breast phantom for image guided procedure training to help prepare radiologists better before performing an ultrasound

Project Overview

Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the U.S., with approximately 300,000 new diagnoses per year. However, many cases go undetected due to improper screening and fear surrounding mammograms that prevents women from making screening appointments. Breast ultrasounds are not widely used as a diagnostic method due to a high error rate, but are much safer and less uncomfortable than mammograms. In radiology, the implementation of imaging phantoms has been used by various subspecialties, such as interventional radiology, to simulate the experience of performing image guided procedures. Within breast imaging, phantoms have been developed for quality assurance purposes as well as used in diagnostic and procedural training but these lack high fidelity for sonographic characteristics and tactile feedback of the human breast. We seek to develop a high fidelity, reusable breast imaging phantom that can be used for ultrasound guided procedure training that more accurately reflects the mobility of the breast on the chest wall, the tissue composition and sonographic appearance of the breast, and more realistically replicates the texture and tactile sensation of the breast during percutaneous ultrasound guided procedures. We will do so with a 3D printed breast mold and adding physical additives such as high density gels and glass microspheres into our poured materials. Ultimately once a base phantom has been designed and a prototype produced, we would then seek to develop targets/sensors to embed within the phantom that can be used in the training and assessment of radiology trainee's ultrasound guided procedural skills.

Team Picture

Brynn Bauer, Janna Postma, Morgan Kopidlansky, Gaby Cabrera, Francesca Angiulli
Brynn Bauer, Janna Postma, Morgan Kopidlansky, Gaby Cabrera, Francesca Angiulli

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Team Members

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