Development of optical phantoms for use in fluorescence-based imaging

We fabricated permanent solid polyurethane-based phantoms in which fluorophores were homogeneously incorporated. For this study, fluorophores of three different families were used: Cyanines, Alexa Fluor and Quantum Dots. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of casting the fluorophores in a polyurethane matrix on their optical properties, more specifically the absorbance, molecular extinction coefficient, emission of fluorescence and the resultant fluorescence intensity. All measurements were carried out with 5 concentrations of each fluorophores embedded in polyurethane and in solution. Stability over time was also monitored for a three months period. The casting of fluorophores affects the optical properties of the three dyes under study. The max absorbance, the fluorescence emission and intensity along with the molar extinction coefficient were all affected. Quantum dots behave differently to the cyanine and Alexa Fluor dyes. It was also observed that the incorporation of dyes enables long-term stability of the fluorescence signal.