A Refined Quality Assurance Tool for Today's Advanced Imaging Systems
Proven simulation technology 011 A enables the use of tissue-equivalent, realistically-shaped phantoms for mammographic quality assurance. CIRS resin material mimics the photon attenuation coefficients of a range of breast tissues. Average elemental composition of the human breast being mimicked is based on the individual elemental composition of adipose and glandular tissue reported by Hammerstein. Attenuation coefficients are calculated by using the "mixture rule" and the Photon Mass Attenuation and Energy Absorption Coefficient Table of J.H. Hubbell. The CIRS Model 011A Breast Phantom contains targets that are engineered to test the threshold of the new generation of mammography machines. Model 011A is 4.5 cm thick and simulates an average glandular tissue composition. The Model 011A was designed to test the performance of any mammographic system. Objects within the phantom simulate calcifications, fibrous calcifications in ducts and tumor masses. Test objects within the phantom range in size from those that should be visible on any system to objects that will be difficult to resolve on the best mammographic systems. CIRS mammography phantoms are also manufactured in 4 cm, 5 cm and 6 cm thicknesses with various glandular equivalencies. The methodology and design of these phantoms was developed by Dr. Panos Fatouros and his associates at the Medical
