‘3D Printed Breast Phantoms Materials for X-ray Imaging Techniques’

Physical breast phantoms are crucial for the development, evaluation, and optimization of X-ray breast imaging systems, such as mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, and breast computed tomography. Traditional manufacturing methods can be time-consuming and lack precision. This study investigates the use of thermoplastic filaments and photopolymer resins as 3D printing materials for fabricating physical breast phantoms. The linear attenuation coefficients (μ) of these materials were determined to establish a standard attenuation coefficient graph for future research in X-ray imaging. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA) techniques were employed for 3D printing, using eight different materials. X-ray imaging experiments were performed using a spectral photon-counting µCT-scanner. Preliminary results indicate a mismatch between theoretical and measured spectral attenuation profiles, a number of possible reasons are discussed. Future research will explore alternative equipment and techniques to address these differences.