A simulation platform using 3D printed neurovascular phantoms for clinical utility evaluation of new imaging technologies

Modern 3D printing technology allows rapid prototyping of vascular phantoms based on an actual human patient with a high degree of precision. Using this technology, we present a platform to accurately simulate clinical views of neuro-endovascular interventions and devices. The neuro-endovascular interventional phantom has a 3D printed cerebrovasculature model derived from a patient CT angiogram and embedded inside a human skull providing bone attenuation. Acrylic layers were placed underneath and on top of the skull, simulating entrance and exit tissue attenuation and also simulating forward scatter. The 3D model was connected to a pulsatile flow loop for simulating interventions using clinical devices such as catheters and stents. To validate the X-ray attenuation and establish clinical accuracy, the automatic exposure selection by a clinical c-arm system for the phantom was compared with that for a commercial anthropomorphic head phantom (SK-150, Phantom Labs). The percentage difference between automatic exposure selection for the neuro-intervention phantom and the SK-150 phantom was under 10%. By changing 3D printed models, various patient diseased anatomies can be simulated accurately with the necessary X-ray attenuation. Using this platform various interventional procedures were performed using new imaging technologies such as a high-resolution X-ray fluoroscope and a dose-reduced region-of-interest attenuator and differential temporally filtered display for enhanced interventional imaging. Simulated clinical views from such phantom-based procedures were used to evaluate the potential clinical performance of such new technologies.