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Development of an anatomical breast phantom from polyvinyl chloride plastisol with lesions of various shape, elasticity and echogenicity for teaching ultrasound examination

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International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The WHO reported an increasing trend in the number of new cases of breast cancer, making it the most prevalent cancer in the world. This fact necessitates the availability of highly qualified ultrasonographers, which can be achieved by the widespread implementation of training phantoms. The goal of the present work is to develop and test an inexpensive, accessible, and reproducible technology for creating an anatomical breast phantom for practicing ultrasound diagnostic skills in grayscale and elastography imaging, as well as ultrasound-guided biopsy sampling.

Methods

We used FDM 3D printer and PLA plastic for printing an anatomical breast mold. We made a phantom using a mixture of polyvinyl chloride plastisol, graphite powder, and metallic glitter to simulate soft tissues and lesions. Various degrees of elasticity were imparted using plastisols of stiffness ranging from 3 to 17 on the Shore scale. The lesions were shaped by hand. The materials and methods used are easily accessible and reproducible.

Results

Using the proposed technology, we have developed and tested a basic, differential, and elastographic versions of the breast phantom. The three versions of the phantom are anatomical and intended for use in medical education: the basic version is for practicing primary hand–eye coordination skills; the differential one is for practicing the differential diagnosis skills; the elastographic version helps developing the skills needed for assessing the stiffness of tissues.

Conclusion

The proposed technology allows the creation of breast phantoms for practicing hand–eye coordination and develop the critical skills for navigation and assessment of the shape, margins, and size of the lesion, as well as performing an ultrasound-guided biopsy. It is cost-effective, reproducible, and easily implementable, and could be instrumental in generating ultrasonographers with crucial skills for accurate diagnosis of breast cancer, especially in low-resource settings.

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Acknowledgment

This paper was prepared by a group of authors as a part of the research and development effort titled “Development of design and manufacturing technology, and production of phantoms to capture more mineable data from ultrasound imaging”, (USIS No. 123031500001-4) in accordance with the Order No. 1196 dated December 21, 2022 “On approval of state assignments funded by means of allocations from the budget of the city of Moscow to the state budgetary (autonomous) institutions subordinate to the Moscow Health Care Department, for 2023 and the planned period of 2024 and 2025” issued by the Moscow Health Care Department.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moscow Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine, Moscow, Russia

    Denis Leonov, Anastasia Nasibullina & Julia Bulgakova

  2. Moscow Power Engineering Institute, Moscow, Russia

    Denis Leonov, Anastasia Nasibullina & Julia Bulgakova

  3. Smolensk State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

    Daria Venidiktova & Alexey Borsukov

  4. Brazilian Air Force Academy, Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil

    José Francisco Silva Costa-Júnior

  5. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Russia

    Olga Tarasova

  6. Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Moscow, Russia

    Kristina Pashinceva

  7. Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education “Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education” of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federatio, Moscow, Russia

    Natalia Vetsheva

  8. Federal Research Center “Computer Science and Control” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Nicholas Kulberg

  9. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA

    Manob Jyoti Saikia

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  1. Denis Leonov
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  2. Daria Venidiktova
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Correspondence to Denis Leonov.

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Leonov, D., Venidiktova, D., Costa-Júnior, J.F.S. et al. Development of an anatomical breast phantom from polyvinyl chloride plastisol with lesions of various shape, elasticity and echogenicity for teaching ultrasound examination. Int J CARS 19, 151–161 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-023-02911-4

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