Creation of Physical Breast Phantom for Educational Purposes

Teaching and training activities of future radiographers are related to the use of phantoms, which offer the possibility of multiple use with x-rays and thus avoiding unnecessary radiation of patients, and at the same time improving their skills in the technique. This paper focuses on the basic steps of the creation of an anthropomorphic breast phantom, the challenges and the solutions proposed in the design and its production. The phantom is initially generated by using a software application for creation of computational breast models. Subsequently, this model is converted to STL file and printed with a stereolithography printer. The printed phantom is filled with additional components, representing the anatomical structures of the breast. The techniques and challenges related to them are discussed in detail. The phantom will be utilized during the practical sessions for student radiographers.