Search

Introduction: In this study, we sought to develop a thermoplastic patient-specific helmet bolus that could deliver a uniform therapeutic dose to the target and minimize the dose to the normal brain during whole-scalp treatment with a humanoid head phantom. Methods: The bolus material was a commercial thermoplastic used for patient immobilization, and the holes in the netting were filled with melted paraffin. We compared volumetric-modulated arc therapy treatment plans with and without the bolus for quantitative dose distribution analysis. We analyzed the dose distribution in the region of interest to compare dose differences between target and normal organs. For quantitative analysis of treatment dose, OSLD chips were attached at the vertex (VX), posterior occipital (PO), right (RT), and left temporal (LT) locations. Results: The average dose in the clinical target volume was 6553.8 cGy (99.3%) with bolus and 5874 cGy (89%) without bolus, differing by more than 10% from the prescribed dose (6600 cGy) to the scalp target. For the normal brain, it was 3747.8 cGy (56.8%) with bolus and 5484.6 cGy (83.1%) without bolus. These results show that while the dose to the treatment target decreased, the average dose to the normal brain, which is mostly inside the treatment target, increased by more than 25%. With the bolus, the OSLD measured dose was 102.5 ± 1.2% for VX and 101.5 ± 1.9%, 95.9 ± 1.9%, and 81.8 ± 2.1% for PO, RT, and LT, respectively. In addition, the average dose in the treatment plan was 102%, 101%, 93.6%, and 80.7% for VX, PO, RT, and LT. When no bolus was administered, 59.6 ± 2.4%, 112.6 ± 1.8%, 47.1 ± 1.6%, and 53.1 ± 2.3% were assessed as OSLD doses for VX, PO, RT, and LT, respectively. Conclusion: This study proposed a method to fabricate patient-specific boluses that are highly reproducible, accessible, and easy to fabricate for radiotherapy to the entire scalp and can effectively spare normal tissue while delivering sufficient surface dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the performance of microwave brain imaging (MWBI) systems, an anthropomorphic multifunctional head phantom with long life, low cost, and reliable dielectric properties over the intended frequency range is a principal requisite. A solid head model has been developed using a mold casting method, incorporating graphite, aluminum oxide, carbon black powder, and brass powder with epoxy/hardener. Four healthy solid brain tissues consisting of skin, skull, gray matter, and white matter are fabricated to mimic realistic head tissue properties along with cerebrospinal fluid. The constructed head model incorporates four cavities of varying sizes and positions, designed to accommodate healthy or unhealthy cores, thereby simulating diverse stroke scenarios without necessitating separate healthy and unhealthy models. Utilizing a single‐head model preserves dielectric properties during comparative analysis (healthy/unhealthy), except for core components. Tissue properties were measured twice, three months apart, showing good agreement between theoretical and measured results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing conventional neurosurgical navigation systems' high costs and complexity, this study explores the feasibility and accuracy of a simplified, cost-effective mixed reality navigation (MRN) system based on a laser crosshair simulator (LCS). A new automatic registration method was developed, featuring coplanar laser emitters and a recognizable target pattern. The workflow was integrated into Microsoft's HoloLens-2 for practical application. The study assessed the system's precision by utilizing life-sized 3D-printed head phantoms based on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 19 patients (female/male: 7/12, average age: 54.4 ± 18.5 years) with intracranial lesions. Six to seven CT/MRI-visible scalp markers were used as reference points per case. The LCS-MRN's accuracy was evaluated through landmark-based and lesion-based analyses, using metrics such as target registration error (TRE) and Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). The system demonstrated immersive capabilities for observing intracranial structures across all cases. Analysis of 124 landmarks showed a TRE of 3.0 ± 0.5 mm, consistent across various surgical positions. The DSC of 0.83 ± 0.12 correlated significantly with lesion volume (Spearman rho = 0.813, p < 0.001). Therefore, the LCS-MRN system is a viable tool for neurosurgical planning, highlighting its low user dependency, cost-efficiency, and accuracy, with prospects for future clinical application enhancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed Reality Navigation (MRN) is pivotal in augmented reality-assisted intelligent neurosurgical interventions. However, existing MRN registration methods face challenges in concurrently achieving low user dependency, high accuracy, and clinical applicability. This study proposes and evaluates a novel registration method based on a laser crosshair simulator, evaluating its feasibility and accuracy. A novel registration method employing a laser crosshair simulator was introduced, designed to replicate the scanner frame's position on the patient. The system autonomously calculates the transformation, mapping coordinates from the tracking space to the reference image space. A mathematical model and workflow for registration were designed, and a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) application was developed on HoloLens-2. Finally, a head phantom was used to measure the system's target registration error (TRE). The proposed method was successfully implemented, obviating the need for user interactions with virtual objects during the registration process. Regarding accuracy, the average deviation was 3.7 ± 1.7 mm. This method shows encouraging results in efficiency and intuitiveness and marks a valuable advancement in low-cost, easy-to-use MRN systems. The potential for enhancing accuracy and adaptability in intervention procedures positions this approach as promising for improving surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Commercial medical ultrasound phantoms are highly specific as they simulate particular clinical scenarios. This makes them expensive to use in multi-target research and training. General approaches to human tissue and organ modeling are described in the manufacturing methodology, access to which is restricted by the manufacturer's trade secret. Our aim is to propose a reproducible methodology to design a head phantom for transcranial ultrasound training and research from widely available materials and to validate its applicability. Methods: To create an anthropomorphic phantom, we used data from real patients obtained by CT and MRI scans. We combined FDM and LCD 3D printing to achieve the desired acoustic performance and ergonomics of the phantom. We fabricated the phantom using polyvinyl chloride plastisol, photopolymer, and PLA to simulate brain tissue, temporal acoustic windows, and acoustically opaque parts of the skull, respectively. Notably, the phantom fabrication method uses only readily available materials and is easy to reproduce. Results: We developed a basic one and anatomical one versions of the head phantom. The basic version contains a simplified brain: tissue-mimicking material is poured into the skull with needles inserted, which specific pattern is easy to recognize in B-mode images. The anatomical version has an anatomically correct brain dummy extracted from MRI data and contains multiple randomly distributed small metal, plastic, and bony objects ranging in size from 1 to 3 mm each. Conclusion: The proposed methodology allows producing head phantoms for transcranial ultrasound training and research. The anatomical accuracy of the model is proved by ultrasonography and CT studies. Both versions of the phantom comprise the skull and the brain and are intended for ultrasound imaging through the temporal bone acoustic window. Needles and small objects serve as navigation targets during the training procedure. The basic version helps learning basic navigation skills, while the anatomical one provides a realistic setting to perform the diagnostic procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to design and fabricate a novel, versatile, and cost-effective Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) head phantom for the dosimetric pretreatment verification of radiotherapy (RT) treatment plans. Materials and Methods: The head phantom designing involves slice-wise modeling of an adult head using PMMA. The phantom has provisions to hold detectors such as ionization chambers of different sizes, Gafchromic films, gel dosimeter, and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter. For the point dose verification purpose, 15 volumetric modulated arc therapy patient plans were selected, and doses were measured using a CC13 ionization chamber. The percentage gamma passing rate was calculated for acceptance criteria 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm using OmniPro I'mRT film QA software, and Gafchromic EBT3 films were used for 2D planar dose verification. Results: Treatment planning system calculated, and the measured point doses showed a percentage deviation ranged from 0.26 to 1.92. The planar dose fluence measurements, for set acceptance criteria of 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm, percentages of points having gamma value

The counting efficiency calibration for in vivo measurement is crucial to derive the activity of radionuclides residing inside a monitored subject. Recently, virtual calibration based on computational phantoms has become popular, yet some key questions remain unresolved. Here, we focus on the in vivo measurement of Pb-210 in the skull and systematically examine how virtual calibration compares to those using physical phantoms and how the variety of computational phantoms affects the derived counting efficiency. It is found that the virtually calibrated efficiency based on the MIDA phantom, which characterizes the highest anatomical fidelity, shows reasonable consistency with the experimental counterpart, with a relative bias of approximately 10%. However, in comparison to the case based on the MIDA phantom, those based on the BOMAB and MIRD phantoms show larger deviation, demonstrating underestimations on the counting efficiency by 51% and 42%, respectively. This finding underscores the critical role of computational phantoms in the virtual calibration. This study contributes to the development of techniques for assessing lung cancer risk resulting from chronic radon exposure through in vivo measurement of skeletal Pb-210 activity. • Head phantom with the highest anatomical fidelity is used for virtual calibration. • Virtual calibration using high fidelity phantom compares well with the experiments. • The variety of computational phantoms can strongly affect the virtual calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commercially available flat bolus (commercial bolus) would not fully fit the irregular surfaces of the scalp. We developed a transparent and flexible material with good fitting properties, analyzed its physical characteristics, and evaluated the clinical feasibility of the bolus fabricated using a three-dimensional (3D) printer (3D bolus). To evaluate the physical characteristics of the new material, treatment plans with virtual, 3D, and commercial boluses were created for water-equivalent phantoms using a radiation treatment planning system (RTPS). Using a head phantom and the dose volume histogram calculated with RTPS, dose distributions for total scalp irradiation were compared between the three treatment plans. To evaluate the clinical feasibility, the fitness and reproducibility of the 3D bolus were compared with the head phantom and clinical cases using dice similarity coefficient (DSC) measurements. A good agreement was observed between the percentage depth dose (PDD) curves for the virtual, 3D, and commercial boluses. The homogeneity indexes of the planning target volume (PTV) for the 3D and commercial boluses were 0.083 and 0.153, respectively, proving that the former achieved a better dose uniformity of PTV than the latter. Good fitness and reproducibility with the 3D bolus were observed in both the head phantom and two clinical cases, with mean DSC values of 0.854, 0.829, and 0.843, respectively. These results successfully demonstrated and verified the utility of the 3D bolus for total scalp irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse stereotactic neuro-navigation systems are used daily in neurosurgery and novel systems are continuously being developed. Prior to clinical implementation of new surgical tools, methods or instruments, in vitro experiments on phantoms should be conducted. A stereotactic neuro-navigation phantom denotes a rigid or deformable structure resembling the cranium with the intracranial area. The use of phantoms is essential for the testing of complete procedures and their workflows, as well as for the final validation of the application accuracy. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of stereotactic neuro-navigation phantom designs, to identify their most relevant features, and to identify methodologies for measuring the target point error, the entry point error, and the angular error (α). The literature on phantom designs used for evaluating the accuracy of stereotactic neuro-navigation systems, i.e., robotic navigation systems, stereotactic frames, frameless navigation systems, and aiming devices, was searched. Eligible articles among the articles written in English in the period 2000–2020 were identified through the electronic databases PubMed, IEEE, Web of Science, and Scopus. The majority of phantom designs presented in those articles provide a suitable methodology for measuring the target point error, while there is a lack of objective measurements of the entry point error and angular error. We identified the need for a universal phantom design, which would be compatible with most common imaging techniques (e.g., computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and suitable for simultaneous measurement of the target point, entry point, and angular errors.

Diverse stereotactic neuro-navigation systems are used daily in neurosurgery and novel systems are continuously being developed. Prior to clinical implementation of new surgical tools, methods or instruments, in vitro experiments on phantoms should be conducted. A stereotactic neuro-navigation phantom denotes a rigid or deformable structure resembling the cranium with the intracranial area. The use of phantoms is essential for the testing of complete procedures and their workflows, as well as for the final validation of the application accuracy. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of stereotactic neuro-navigation phantom designs, to identify their most relevant features, and to identify methodologies for measuring the target point error, the entry point error, and the angular error (α). The literature on phantom designs used for evaluating the accuracy of stereotactic neuro-navigation systems, i.e., robotic navigation systems, stereotactic frames, frameless navigation systems, and aiming devices, was searched. Eligible articles among the articles written in English in the period 2000–2020 were identified through the electronic databases PubMed, IEEE, Web of Science, and Scopus. The majority of phantom designs presented in those articles provide a suitable methodology for measuring the target point error, while there is a lack of objective measurements of the entry point error and angular error. We identified the need for a universal phantom design, which would be compatible with most common imaging techniques (e.g., computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and suitable for simultaneous measurement of the target point, entry point, and angular errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion and muscle artifacts can undermine signal quality in electroencephalography (EEG) recordings during locomotion. We evaluated approaches for recovering ground-truth artificial brain signals from noisy EEG recordings. We built an electrical head phantom that broadcast four brain and four muscle sources. Head movements were generated by a robotic motion platform. We recorded 128-channel dual layer EEG and 8-channel neck electromyography (EMG) from the head phantom during motion. We evaluated ground-truth electrocortical source signal recovery from artifact contaminated data using Independent Component Analysis (ICA) to determine: (1) the number of isolated noise sensor recordings needed to capture and remove motion artifacts, (2) the ability of Artifact Subspace Reconstruction to remove motion and muscle artifacts at contrasting artifact detection thresholds, (3) the number of neck EMG sensor recordings needed to capture and remove muscle artifacts, and (4) the ability of Canonical Correlation Analysis to remove muscle artifacts. We also evaluated source signal recovery by combining the best practices identified in aims 1-4. By including isolated noise and EMG recordings in the ICA decomposition, we more effectively recovered ground-truth artificial brain signals. A reduced subset of 32-noise and 6-EMG channels showed equivalent performance compared to including the complete arrays. Artifact Subspace Reconstruction improved source separation, but this was contingent on muscle activity amplitude. Canonical Correlation Analysis also improved source separation. Merging noise and EMG recordings into the ICA decomposition, with Artifact Subspace Reconstruction and Canonical Correlation Analysis preprocessing, improved source signal recovery. This study expands on previous head phantom experiments by including neck muscle source activity and evaluating artificial electrocortical spectral power fluctuations synchronized with gait events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to design and fabricate a novel, versatile, and cost-effective Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) head phantom for the dosimetric pretreatment verification of radiotherapy (RT) treatment plans. Materials and Methods: The head phantom designing involves slice-wise modeling of an adult head using PMMA. The phantom has provisions to hold detectors such as ionization chambers of different sizes, Gafchromic films, gel dosimeter, and optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter. For the point dose verification purpose, 15 volumetric modulated arc therapy patient plans were selected, and doses were measured using a CC13 ionization chamber. The percentage gamma passing rate was calculated for acceptance criteria 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm using OmniPro I'mRT film QA software, and Gafchromic EBT3 films were used for 2D planar dose verification. Results: Treatment planning system calculated, and the measured point doses showed a percentage deviation ranged from 0.26 to 1.92. The planar dose fluence measurements, for set acceptance criteria of 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm, percentages of points having gamma value <1 were in the range of 99.17 ± 0.25 to 99.88 ± 0.15 and 93.16 ± 0.38 to 98.89 ± 0.23, respectively. Measured dose verification indices were within the acceptable limit. Conclusions: The dosimetric study reveals that head phantom can be used for routine pretreatment verification for the cranial RT, especially for stereotactic radiosurgery/RT as a part of patient-specific quality assurance. The presently fabricated and validated phantom is novel, versatile, and cost-effective, and many institutes can afford it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to go through a validation process when developing new electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes, but it is impossible to keep the human mind constant, making the process difficult. It is also very difficult to identify noise and signals as the input signal is unknown. In this work, we have validated textile-based EEG electrodes constructed from a poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate:/polydimethylsiloxane coated cotton fabric using a textile-based head phantom. The performance of the textile-based electrode has also been compared against a commercial dry electrode. The textile electrodes collected a signal to a smaller skin-to-electrode impedance (−18.9%) and a higher signal-to-noise ratio (+3.45%) than Ag/AgCl dry electrodes. From an EEGLAB, it was observed that the inter-trial coherence and event-related spectral perturbation graphs of the textile-based electrodes were identical to the Ag/AgCl electrodes. Thus, these textile-based electrodes can be a potential alternative to monitor brain activity.

During the development of new electroencephalography electrodes, it is important to surpass the validation process. However, maintaining the human mind in a constant state is impossible which in turn makes the validation process very difficult. Besides, it is also extremely difficult to identify noise and signals as the input signals are not known. For that reason, many researchers have developed head phantoms predominantly from ballistic gelatin. Gelatin-based material can be used in phantom applications, but unfortunately, this type of phantom has a short lifespan and is relatively heavyweight. Therefore, this article explores a long-lasting and lightweight (−91.17%) textile-based anatomically realistic head phantom that provides comparable functional performance to a gelatin-based head phantom. The result proved that the textile-based head phantom can accurately mimic body-electrode frequency responses which make it suitable for the controlled validation of new electrodes. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the textile-based head phantom was found to be significantly better than the ballistic gelatin-based head providing a 15.95 dB ± 1.666 (±10.45%) SNR at a 95% confidence interval.

Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been broadly acceptable in recent years as a radiography modality for diagnosis, treatment planning and follow up in dentistry. Some important parameters such as radiation dose, image quality and field of view are considered as a criteria for deciding whether or not a CBCT dental unit is suitable for a particular application. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effect of exposure levels on the absorbed dose of mandible and salivary glands according to various settings of milliamperage (mA) in CBCT. Materials and Methods: A very advanced multilayers head and neck phantom was constructed for this study. This phantom was built based on the CT images of a specific patient with an average size. This phantom was constructed using proper substitutes for soft tissue and bone according to their physical properties. Therefore, there was a high level of agreement with the patient's body. This phantom enables us to measure the absorbed dose inside the organs. Dosimetry has been performed by Soredex Cranex3d CBCT. For film dosimetry, AGFA films were used in various layers of the phantom. The mAs of the device was changed in the range of 2,4,6,8,10 and 12 mA. Results: The maximum and the minimum absorbed dose was placed in the area related to the right mandible and the left submandibular gland. The increase of absorbed dose by mA increase was meaningful in the confidence level of 95% for all scanned areas. By changing mA from 2 to 12, the absorbed dose varied significantly with a maximum 5.44-fold variation between the highest and lowest dose for the parotid gland. Conclusion: This study has shown that there is a meaningful relationship between the increase of mAand increase of absorbed dose in different parts of the dentomaxillofacial area, including the mandible, submandibular and parotid glands. It is concluded that as long as the image quality is acceptable for diagnostic purposes, the mAs of the CBCT should be kept in a low range to minimize the absorbed dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is devoted to the development and manufacturing of realistic benchmark phantoms to evaluate the performance of microwave imaging devices. The 3D (3 dimensional) printed phantoms contain several cavities, designed to be filled with liquid solutions that mimic biological tissues in terms of complex permittivity over a wide frequency range. Numerical versions (stereolithography (STL) format files) of these phantoms were used to perform simulations to investigate experimental parameters. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, a general methodology for the development of a biological phantom is presented. Second, this approach is applied to the particular case of the experimental device developed by the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications at Politecnico di Torino (POLITO) that currently uses a homogeneous version of the head phantom considered in this paper. Numerical versions of the introduced inhomogeneous head phantoms were used to evaluate the effect of various parameters related to their development, such as the permittivity of the equivalent biological tissue, coupling medium, thickness and nature of the phantom walls, and number of compartments. To shed light on the effects of blood circulation on the recognition of a randomly shaped stroke, a numerical brain model including blood vessels was considered.

Background: In the field of the treatment by Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), an optimized neutron system was proposed. This study (simulation) was conducted to optimize the geometry and composition of neutron system and increase the epithermal neutron flux for the treatment of deep tumors is performed. Materials and Methods: A neutron system for BNCT was proposed. The system included 252Cf neutron source, neutron moderator/reflector arrangement, filter and concrete. To capture fast neutrons, different neutron filters Fe, Pb, Ni and PbF2 with various thicknesses were simulated and studied. Li (with 1 mm thick) was used for filtering of thermal neutrons. Bi with thickness of 1 cm was used to minimize the intensity of gamma rays. Monte Carlo simulation code MCNPX 2.4.0 was used for design of the neutron system and calculation of the neutron components at the output port of the system. Results: For different thicknesses of the filters, the fast neutron flux, the epithermal and thermal flux were calculated at the output port of the system. The spatial distribution of the fast neutron flux, the epithermal flux and gamma flux in human head phantom with the presence of 40 ppm of 10B were obtained. The present calculations showed that Pb filter (about 1 cm) at the output port is suitable for fast neutron capture. The thickness of Li filter was determined due to its high absorption cross-section in thermal region. Bi was used as a gamma filter by the reason of it is good for shielding gamma rays, while having high transmission epithermal neutrons. Conclusion: The epithermal neutron flux has enhanced about 38 percent at the output port of the present system, compared with recent system proposed by Ghassoun et al. At 2 cm depth inside the head phantom, the neutron flux reaches a maximum value about . At this depth, the ratio of the thermal neutron flux to the epithermal flux is about three times, that suggests such a neutron system to treat tumors in the proximity of the depth. In the presence of 10B in the brain, at 2 cm depth the neutron absorption takes place more than other areas of the brain, and consequently the thermal flux is depressed uniformly in the head phantom. Due to high LET and RBE of alpha and 7Li particles (obtained by reaction of boron-neutron), the tumor at the mentioned depth is damaged rather than the around.

The advent of optically pumped magnetometer-based magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) has introduced new tools for neuroscience and clinical research. As it is still under development, the achievable performance of OPM-MEG remains to be tested, particularly in terms of source localization accuracy, which can be influenced by various factors, including software and hardware aspects. A feasible approach to comprehensively test the performance of the OPM-MEG system is to utilize a phantom that simulates the actual electrophysiological properties of the head while ensuring the precise locations of dipole sources. However, conventional water or dry phantoms can only simulate a single-sphere head model. In this work, a more realistic three-layer phantom was designed and fabricated. The proposed phantom included the scalp, skull, and cortex tissues of the head, as well as the simulated dipole sources. The scalp and cortex tissues were simulated using an electrolyte solution, while the dipole source was constructed from a coaxial cable. All main structures in the phantom were produced using 3D printing techniques, making the phantom easy to manufacture. The fabricated phantom was tested on a 36-channel OPM-MEG system, and the results showed that the dipole source inside the phantom could generate a magnetic field distribution on the scalp that was close to its theoretical values. The average source localization accuracy of 5.51 mm verified the effectiveness of the designed phantom and the performance of our OPM-MEG system. This work provides an effective test platform for OPM-MEG., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To demonstrate a simple head‐sized phantom for realistic static and RF field characterization in high field systems. Methods: The head‐sized phantom was composed of an ellipsoidal compartment and a spherical cavity to mimic the nasal cavity. The phantom was filled with an aqueous solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), to mimic the average dielectric properties of brain tissue. The static and RF field distributions were characterized on a 7T MRI system and compared to in vivo measurements and simulations. MR thermometry was performed, and the results were compared to thermal simulations for RF validation purposes. Results: Accurate reproduction of both static and RF fields patterns observed in vivo was confirmed experimentally and was shown to be strongly affected by the inclusion of the spherical cavity. MR thermometry and transmit efficiency ( B 1 +) measurements were obtained in close agreement with simulations (peak values agreeing within 0.3 °C and 0.02 μT/√W) as well as fiber optic thermal probes (RMSE < 0.18 °C). Conclusions: A simple head‐sized phantom has been presented that produces B0 and B 1 + nonuniformities similar to those encountered in the human head and allows for accurate MR thermometry measurements, making this a suitable reference phantom for RF validation and methodological development in high field MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 60 GHz patch antenna array with parasitic elements for smart glasses is proposed. The antenna is composed of a patch antenna array with feedlines, parasitic elements, and a ground. The antenna has a fan-beam radiation pattern with simulated 3 dB and 10 dB beamwidths of 38.9° and 142.9°, respectively. To demonstrate the antenna performance in a practical wearable environment, the antenna characteristics were simulated on a 60 GHz head phantom. The electromagnetic exposure on the head phantom was verified using specific absorption rate and power density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro dosimetric verification prior to patient treatment has a key role in accurate and precision radiotherapy treatment delivery. Most of commercially available dosimetric phantoms have almost homogeneous density throughout their volume, while real interior of patient body has variable and varying densities inside. In this study an attempt has been made to verify the physical dosimetry in actual human body scenario by using goat head as "head phantom" and goat meat as "tissue phantom". The mean percentage variation between planned and measured doses was found to be 2.48 (standard deviation (SD): 0.74), 2.36 (SD: 0.77), 3.62 (SD: 1.05), and 3.31 (SD: 0.78) for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) (head phantom), intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT; head phantom), 3DCRT (tissue phantom), and IMRT (tissue phantom), respectively. Although percentage variations in case of head phantom were within tolerance limit (< ± 3%), but still it is higher than the results obtained by using commercially available phantoms. And the percentage variations in most of cases of tissue phantom were out of tolerance limit. On the basis of these preliminary results it is logical and rational to develop radiation dosimetry methods based on real human body and also to develop an artificial phantom which should truly represent the interior of human body.

Purpose:Benefits of minimally invasive neurosurgery mandate the development of ergonomic paradigms for neuronavigation. Augmented Reality (AR) systems can overcome the shortcomings of commercial neuronavigators. The aim of this work is to apply a novel AR system, based on a head-mounted stereoscopic video see-through display, as an aid in complex neurological lesion targeting. Effectiveness was investigated on a newly designed patient-specific head mannequin featuring an anatomically realistic brain phantom with embedded synthetically created tumors and eloquent areas. Materials and methods:A two-phase evaluation process was adopted in a simulated small tumor resection adjacent to Broca’s area. Phase I involved nine subjects without neurosurgical training in performing spatial judgment tasks. In Phase II, three surgeons were involved in assessing the effectiveness of the AR-neuronavigator in performing brain tumor targeting on a patient-specific head phantom. Results:Phase I revealed the ability of the AR scene to evoke depth perception under different visualization modalities. Phase II confirmed the potentialities of the AR-neuronavigator in aiding the determination of the optimal surgical access to the surgical target. Conclusions:The AR-neuronavigator is intuitive, easy-to-use, and provides three-dimensional augmented information in a perceptually-correct way. The system proved to be effective in guiding skin incision, craniotomy, and lesion targeting. The preliminary results encourage a structured study to prove clinical effectiveness. Moreover, our testing platform might be used to facilitate training in brain tumour resection procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To acknowledge the challenges and limitations of image-guided neurosurgery systems, we compared the application accuracy of two different image registration methods for one commercial system. (VectorVision, BrainLab, Germany). Methods:We used an anthropomorphic head phantom for radiosurgery and a custom built add-on to simulate surgical targets inside the brain during an image-guided neurosurgery. We used two image registration methods, fiducial registration using attachable surface markers for computed tomography (CT) and surface registration using infrared laser face scanning. After simulation, we calculated the three-dimensional (3D) distance between the predicted position of a target, and its actual position using a registered pointer and an infrared camera. Deviations were measured for both superficial fiducial markers and internal surgical targets by five different users. Results:Deviations from the location of fiducial markers after each registration method were 2.15 ± 0.93 mm after CT surface marker registration and 1.25 ± 0.64 mm after infrared face scanner registration. The mean target registration errors were 2.95 ± 1.4 mm using fiducial registration and 2.90 ± 1.3 mm using surface registration. The largest deviations (6.2 mm) were found for the targets in the skull base and posterior cranial fossa. Fiducial deviations and target registration errors were statistically uncorrelated. The total application accuracy was 4.87 ± 0.97 mm after CT surface marker registration and 4.14 ± 0.64 mm after infrared face scanner registration. Conclusions:Despite others have reported differences, we did not find significant variations between both registration methods for the target registration error, although application accuracy was slightly better after surface face registration. Superficial registration errors, but not the target registration error, can be routinely evaluated in the operating room. Since both errors were uncorrelated, surgeons may neglect the achievable accuracy of the procedure. The described method is recommended to assess application accuracy in the operating room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-phantom measurement of physical dose distribution and construction of a convenient phantom is very important for boron neutron capture therapy planning validation. In this study we have simulated a head phantom, suggested for construction in boron neutron capture therapy facilities, and calculated all relevant dose components inside of it using the Monte Carlo code MCNPX. A “generic” epithermal neutron beam with a broad neutron spectrum, similar to beams used for neutron capture therapy clinical trials, was used. The calculated distributions of all relevant dose components in brain tissue equivalent were compared with those in water. The results show that water is a suitable dosimetry material and that the simulated head phantom is a suitable design for producing accurate three-dimensional maps of dose components at enough points inside of the phantom for boron neutron capture therapy dosimetry measurements and the use of these dose maps in beam development and benchmarking of computer-based treatment codes.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) for brain tumor treatment is under development at the Tehran Research Reactor (TRR). This paper presents all current research activities that were performed during recent years as well as the prospective of BNCT research at TRR. The theoretical and experimental investigations show that TRR has a very good potential to consider it as a pilot facility for BNCT research in the Middle East and could be facilitated for clinical applications. In this way, there are some steps and also some challenges which are described in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) project in Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) is currently ongoing and an appropriate neutron beam for BNCT has been provided by modification of TRR thermal column. In order to measure the neutron beam characteristics inside of a phantom, a standard phantom is needed. The present paper describes details of the head phantom construction and its different potential. The constructed head phantom permits us to put different dosimeters with different sizes in many locations of the phantom volume. Foils, wires, TLDs and ion chamber can be placed inside of its volume. Gel dosimeter can also be poured into the phantom volume and removed from it easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Determination of in-phantom quality factors of Tehran research reactor (TRR) boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) beam.Materials and Methods: The doses from thermal neutron reactions with 14N and 10B are calculated by kinetic energy released per unit mass approach, after measuring thermal neutron flux using neutron activation technique. Gamma dose is measured using TLD-700 dosimeter.Results: Different dose components have been measured in a head phantom which has been designed and constructed for BNCT purpose in TRR. Different in-phantom beam quality factors have also been determined.Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the TRR BNCT beam line has potential for treatment of superficial tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A real human skull was selected to be a mold for the construction of an anthropomorphic head phantom with a mixture of dolomite and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Using linear attenuation coefficients, we show that it is possible to use dolomite as a bone simulator as long as the proportion of the mixture is 1:1. Acrylic tubes were placed in the phantom constructed to enable the insertion of the ionization chamber to estimate the effective dose. Values for a typical head computed tomography examination found in the literature vary from 0.9 to 4.0 mSv. Dosimetric studies showed that the effective dose for the anthropomorphic phantom was (2.70±0.03) mSv and for the geometric PMMA phantom (3.67±0.04) mSv, values which are in agreement with the intervals reported in the literature. The investment to produce the phantom was approximately US$160.00. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filtered back projection algorithm (FBP) is one of the most common methods that used in to mographic image reconstruction. This algorithm was applied on computerized tomography (CT) scanner. This paper presents the implementation of reconstruction algorithm of CT image 512 x 512 pixels from raw data for the parallel beam projections. This work consist three main parts. In first part, many numbers of projections are obtained from the input test image called Shepp Logan phantom using the Radon transform. The second part, reconstruct the image from parallel beam projection to reduces the reconstruction time. In the third part, filter the projections using Ram Lak filter and Hann window for image enhancement and then back projection summation to form the reconstructed image. The computer program has been designed, written and implemented in our work using MATLAB. This made the result very good for reconstruction two dimensions image from its projection in computerized Tomography scanner. The algorithm was applied on the head phantom image for the purpose of performance improvement.It’s important to many applications like medical and industrial application.

Purpose: In the ongoing endeavor of fine-tuning, the clinical application of transcranial MR-guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS), ex-vivo studies wlkiith whole human skulls are of great use in improving the underlying technology guiding the accurate and precise thermal ablation of clinically relevant targets in the human skull. Described here are the designs, methods for fabrication, and notes on utility of three different ultrasound phantoms to be used for brain focused ultrasound research. Methods: Three different models of phantoms are developed and tested to be accurate, repeatable experimental options to provide means to further this research. The three models are a cadaver, a gel-filled skull, and a head mold containing a skull and filled with gel that mimics the brain and the skin. Each was positioned in a clinical tcMRgFUS system and sonicated at 1100 W (acoustic) for 12 s at different locations. Maximum temperature rise as measured by MR thermometry was recorded and compared against clinical data for a similar neurosurgical target. Results are presented as heating efficiency in units (°C/kW/s) for direct comparison to available clinical data. The procedure for casting thermal phantom material is presented. The utility of each phantom model is discussed in the context of various tcMRgFUS research areas. Results: The cadaveric phantom model, gel-filled skull model, and full head phantom model had heating efficiencies of 5.3,4.0, and 3.9 °C/(kW/s), respectively, compared to a sample clinical heating efficiency of 2.6 °C/(kW/s). In the seven research categories considered, the cadaveric phantom model was the most versatile, though less practical compared to the ex-vivo skull-based phantoms. Conclusions: Casting thermal phantom material was shown to be an effective way to prepare tissue-mimicking material for the phantoms presented. The phantom models presented are all useful in tcMRgFUS research, though some are better suited to a limited subset of applications depending on the researchers needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the field of the treatment by Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), an optimized neutron system was proposed. This study (simulation) was conducted to optimize the geometry and composition of neutron system and increase the epithermal neutron flux for the treatment of deep tumors is performed. Materials and Methods: A neutron system for BNCT was proposed. The system included 252Cf neutron source, neutron moderator/reflector arrangement, filter and concrete. To capture fast neutrons, different neutron filters Fe, Pb, Ni and PbF2 with various thicknesses were simulated and studied. Li (with 1 mm thick) was used for filtering of thermal neutrons. Bi with thickness of 1 cm was used to minimize the intensity of gamma rays. Monte Carlo simulation code MCNPX 2.4.0 was used for design of the neutron system and calculation of the neutron components at the output port of the system. Results: For different thicknesses of the filters, the fast neutron flux, the epithermal and thermal flux were calculated at the output port of the system. The spatial distribution of the fast neutron flux, the epithermal flux and gamma flux in human head phantom with the presence of 40 ppm of 10B were obtained. The present calculations showed that Pb filter (about 1 cm) at the output port is suitable for fast neutron capture. The thickness of Li filter was determined due to its high absorption cross-section in thermal region. Bi was used as a gamma filter by the reason of it is good for shielding gamma rays, while having high transmission epithermal neutrons. Conclusion: The epithermal neutron flux has enhanced about 38 percent at the output port of the present system, compared with recent system proposed by Ghassoun et al. At 2 cm depth inside the head phantom, the neutron flux reaches a maximum value about 1.19 x 105 cm-2s-1 . At this depth, the ratio of the thermal neutron flux to the epithermal flux is about three times, that suggests such a neutron system to treat tumors in the proximity of the depth. In the presence of 10B in the brain, at 2 cm depth the neutron absorption takes place more than other areas of the brain, and consequently the thermal flux is depressed uniformly in the head phantom. Due to high LET and RBE of alpha and 7Li particles (obtained by reaction of boronneutron), the tumor at the mentioned depth is damaged rather than the around. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A portable microwave system to detect traumatic brain injuries is described. The wideband system utilizes a unidirectional antenna, microwave transceiver, and processing and image reconstruction algorithms. The utilized antenna is designed to have a compact three-dimensional (3-D) structure using a slotted dipole element and a folded parasitic structure. It attains directional radiation patterns with an average 9-dB front-to-back ratio and 102.2% fractional bandwidth covering the band 1.1–3.4~GHz, which is suitable for head imaging. To test the system, a realistic head phantom, which attains accurate internal and external anatomical structure and electrical properties, is fabricated by a 3-D printer using a detailed numerical model. Targets imitating the properties of bleeding are inserted at different positions in the fabricated head phantom to emulate brain injury scenarios. The integrated system is used in a virtual arrayed monostatic radar approach to detect the injuries. Using data sets recorded at 32 antenna positions around the head, a back projection algorithm is used to generate images of the scanned head. The achieved results demonstrate the feasibility of such a system as a portable module for brain injuries detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain tumor surgeries are associated with a high technical and personal effort. The required interactions between the surgeon and the technical components, such as neuronavigation, surgical instruments and intraoperative imaging, are complex and demand innovative training solutions and standardized evaluation methods. Phantom-based training systems could be useful in complementing the existing surgical education and training. Methods: A prototype of a phantom-based training system was developed, intended for standardized training of important aspects of brain tumor surgery based on real patient data. The head phantom consists of a three-part construction that includes a reusable base and adapter, as well as a changeable module for single use. Training covers surgical planning of the optimal access path, the setup of the navigation system including the registration of the head phantom, as well as the navigated craniotomy with real instruments. Tracked instruments during the simulation and predefined access paths constitute the basis for the essential objective training feedback. Results: The prototype was evaluated in a pilot study by assistant physicians at different education levels. They performed a complete simulation and a final assessment using an evaluation questionnaire. The analysis of the questionnaire showed the evaluation result as 'good' for the phantom construction and the used materials. The learning effect concerning the navigated planning was evaluated as 'very good', as well as having the effect of increasing safety for the surgeon before planning and conducting craniotomies independently on patients. Conclusions: The training system represents a promising approach for the future training of neurosurgeons. It aims to improve surgical skill training by creating a more realistic simulation in a non-risk environment. Hence, it could help to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical training with the potential to benefit both physicians and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-energy protons from the cyclotron in the range of 15-30 MeV and low current have been simulated on beryllium (Be) target with a lead moderator around the target. This research was accomplished to design an epithermal neutron beam for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) using the moderated neutron on the average produced from 9Be target via (p, xn) reaction in Adiabatic Resonance Crossing (ARC) concept. Generation of neutron to proton ratio, energy distribution, flux and dose components in head phantom have been simulated by MCNP5 code. The reflector and collimator were designed in prevention and collimation of derivation neutrons from proton bombarding. The scalp-skull-brain phantom consisting of bone and brain equivalent material has been simulated in order to evaluate the dosimetric effect on the brain. Results of this analysis demonstrated while the proton energy decreased, the dose factor altered according to filters thickness. The maximum epithermal flux revealed using fluental, Fe and bismuth (Bi) filters with thicknesses of 9.4, 3 and 2 cm, respectively and also the epithermal to thermal neutron flux ratio was 103.85. The potential of the ARC method to replace or complement the current reactor-based supply sources of BNCT purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The fabrication of a realistic head phantom to test microwave-based brain imaging is presented. Low-cost mixtures of materials are used to construct the main head tissues (hair, scalp, skull, cerebral spinal fluid, grey, and white matters). The properties of the fabricated tissues are stable over a long time and agree well with the measured data available in the literature across the band of interest (1-4 GHz). Because no data is available concerning the electrical properties of human hair, extensive measurements are done to find the properties of real and artificial wig hair across the band 0.2-20 GHz. A wig is found to emulate reasonably well the properties of real hair. It is thus used as part of the fabricated phantom. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:979-982, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro dosimetric verification prior to patient treatment has a key role in accurate and precision radiotherapy treatment delivery. Most of commercially available dosimetric phantoms have almost homogeneous density throughout their volume, while real interior of patient body has variable and varying densities inside. In this study an attempt has been made to verify the physical dosimetry in actual human body scenario by using goat head as "head phantom" and goat meat as "tissue phantom". The mean percentage variation between planned and measured doses was found to be 2.48 (standard deviation (SD): 0.74), 2.36 (SD: 0.77), 3.62 (SD: 1.05), and 3.31 (SD: 0.78) for three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) (head phantom), intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT; head phantom), 3DCRT (tissue phantom), and IMRT (tissue phantom), respectively. Although percentage variations in case of head phantom were within tolerance limit (< ± 3%), but still it is higher than the results obtained by using commercially available phantoms. And the percentage variations in most of cases of tissue phantom were out of tolerance limit. On the basis of these preliminary results it is logical and rational to develop radiation dosimetry methods based on real human body and also to develop an artificial phantom which should truly represent the interior of human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anatomically realistic human head phantom as a potential mean of experimentally validating microwave-based head imaging systems and other prominent applications is reported. Using an MRI-derived model, the phantom is 3-D-printed using a laser sintering material to represent the external tissue layers starting from the skull. The skull cavity is filled with the help of 3-D-printed molds with tissue-mimicking mixtures that are formed using low-cost ingredients. The included tissues are gray matter, white matter, Dura, CSF, eye, cerebellum, spinal cord, and blood. Our measurements indicate that the properties of the fabricated tissues are stable with time and agree with the real properties with less than 5% variation across the band 0.5-4 GHz, which is widely utilized in various imaging and mobile applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are a promising tool in biomedical applications such as cancer therapy and diagnosis, where localization and quantification of MNP distributions are often mandatory. This can be obtained by magnetorelaxometry imaging (MRXI). Approach. In this work, the capability of MRXI for quantitative imaging of MNP inside larger volumes such as a human head is investigated. We developed a human head phantom simulating a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumor containing MNP for magnetic hyperthermia treatment. The sensitivity of our MRXI setup for detection of MNP concentrations in the range of 3-19 mg cm -3 was studied. Main result. The results show the high capability of MRXI to detect MNPs in a human head sized volume. Superficial sources with a concentration larger than 12 mg cm -3 could be reconstructed with a resulotion of about 1 cm -3 . Significance. The reconstruction of the MNP distribution, mimicking a GBM tumor of 7 cm 3 volume with clinically relevant iron concentration, demonstrates the in vivo feasibility of MRXI in humans., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)