Novel Pore Size-Controlled, Susceptibility Matched, 3D-Printed MRI Phantoms

Abstract Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) methods are commonly employed to infer changes in tissue microstructure. Quantities like the apparent diffusion coefficient (mADC), and the fractional anisotropy (FA), derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data, characterize voxel-averaged diffusion properties, whereas double pulse field gradient (dPFG) or double diffusion encoded (DDE) MR methods can be used to characterize heterogeneous diffusion processes occurring within the voxel. Owing to its unique modular design, our novel 3D-printed dMRI phantom exhibits both macroscopic and microscopic anisotropy and can serve to calibrate measures of them. Our phantom susceptibility is close to that of water’s, enabling fast diffusion weighted echo-planar image (DW-EPI) acquisitions to be used to scan it. 3D printed microstructures offer a new medium with which to vet and validate theoretical models of diffusion and pipelines used to estimate it. Highlights Research highlight 1: We report the design concept and fabrication of dimensionally stable, uniformly oriented blocks or modules that can be assembled into large-scale MRI phantoms. Waffle-like structures containing blocks of aligned microcapillaries can be stacked into even larger arrays to construct diameter distribution phantoms, or fractured, to create a “powder-averaged” emulsion of randomly oriented blocks. Research highlight 2: This phantom can be used to vet and calibrate various MRI methods, such as DTI, AxCaliber MRI, MAP-MRI, and various multiple pulsed field gradient (PFG) or multiple diffusion-encoded microstructure imaging methods. Graphical Abstract