Developing multifunctional tissue simulating phantoms for quantitative biomedical optical imaging

Many advantages of biomedical optical imaging modalities include low cost, portability, no radiation hazard, molecular sensitivity, and real-time non-invasive measurements of multiple tissue parameters. However, clinical acceptance of optical imaging is hampered by the lack of calibration standards and validation techniques. In this context, developing phantoms that simulate tissue structural, functional, and molecular properties is important for reliable performance and successful translation of biomedical optical imaging techniques to clinical applications. Over the years, we have developed various tissue simulating phantoms to validate imaging algorithms, to optimize instrument performance, to test contrast agents, and to calibrate acquisition systems. We also developed phantoms with multimodal contrasts for co-registration between different imaging modalities. In order to study tissue dynamic changes during medical intervention, we develop gel wax phantoms to simulate tissue optical and mechanical dynamics in response to compression load. We also dispersed heat sensitive microbubbles in agar agar gel phantoms to simulate heatinduced tissue coagulative necrosis in a cancer ablation procedure. The phantom systems developed in our lab have the potential to provide standardized traceable tools for multimodal imaging and image-guided intervention.