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3D-printed tissue-simulating phantoms for fluorescence imaging of rheumatoid diseases

31.08.2022

Contrast-agent based fluorescence imaging offers a unique potential for early diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Indocyanine green (ICG) is used as contrast agent. ICG is already applied in medicine.
Quality assurance of medical devices used for this purpose requires tissue-like fluorescent test specimens. Those specimens must have high stability and anatomical shapes. The test specimens are called phantoms. Phantoms support also further research and development. PTB has developed a three-dimensional (3D) printing technique to produce hand and finger phantoms. A special plastic material (methacrylate photopolymer) was selected for 3D printing. Fluorescence is adjusted by adding Lumogen IR 765. Titanium dioxide powder serves as scattering material and black ink acts as absorbing material. The spectral properties of different printed phantoms were characterized. They were compared with corresponding in vivo studies using ICG. The phantoms have similar fluorescence properties. However, IR 765 is more stable and phantoms have a shelf life of up to 4 years.
3D printing of fluorescent phantoms with Lumogen IR 765 is a promising method for producing anatomically shaped tissue models of high stability. The concept can easily be transferred to other fluorescence imaging applications using ICG.

Publication

Schädel-Ebner S, Hirsch O, Gladytz T, Gutkelch D, Licha K, Berger J, Grosenick D
3D-printed tissue-simulating phantoms for near-infrared fluorescence imaging of rheumatoid diseases
Opens external link in new windowJournal of Biomedical Optics 27(7) (2022) 074702