A Multimodality Myocardial Perfusion Phantom: Initial Quantitative Imaging Results.

Kamphuis, Marije E.; Kuipers, Henny; Liefers, H. Remco; van Es, Jan; Simonis, Frank F. J.; Greuter, Marcel J. W.; Slump, Cornelis H.; Slart, Riemer H. J. A.

This proof-of-concept study explores the multimodal application of a dedicated cardiac flow phantom for ground truth contrast measurements in dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging with CT, PET/CT, and MRI. A 3D-printed cardiac flow phantom and flow circuit mimics the shape of the left ventricular cavity (LVC) and three myocardial regions. The regions are filled with tissue-mimicking materials and the flow circuit regulates and measures contrast flow through LVC and myocardial regions. Normal tissue perfusion and perfusion deficits were simulated. Phantom measurements in PET/CT, CT, and MRI were evaluated with clinically used hardware and software. The reference arterial input flow was 4.0 L/min and myocardial flow 80 mL/min, corresponding to myocardial blood flow (MBF) of 1.6 mL/g/min. The phantom demonstrated successful completion of all processes involved in quantitative, multimodal myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) applications. Contrast kinetics in time intensity curves were in line with expectations for a mimicked perfusion deficit (38 s vs. 32 s in normal tissue). Derived MBF in PET/CT and CT led to under- and overestimation of reference flow of 0.9 mL/g/min and 4.5 mL/g/min, respectively. Simulated perfusion deficit (0.8 mL/g/min) in CT resulted in MBF of 2.8 mL/g/min. We successfully performed initial, quantitative perfusion measurements with a dedicated phantom setup utilizing clinical hardware and software. These results showcase the multimodal phantom's potential.

MYOCARDIAL perfusion imaging; IMAGING phantoms; CARDIOGRAPHIC tomography; CARDIAC radionuclide imaging; PERFUSION; BLOOD flow; COMPUTED tomography

Bioengineering (Basel), 2022, Vol 9, Issue 9, p436

2306-5354

Academic Journal

10.3390/bioengineering9090436