Additively manufactured radiological test patterns
A radiological evaluation device and a method of constructing a radiological evaluation device include a first high-Z material. A first test pattern is constructed by extruding a first high-Z material according to a first test pattern design file. The first high-Z material is combined with a second material to construct the first test pattern. The first high-Z material is radiologically distinct from the second material. A phantom body is constructed. The first test pattern is secured to the phantom body.
1. A method of constructing a radiological evaluation device, the method comprising:
constructing a first test pattern by extruding a first material according to a first test pattern design file, the first material being a high Z material;
constructing the first test pattern by combining the first material with a second material, the first material being radiologically distinct from the second material;
constructing a phantom body; and
securing the first test pattern to the phantom body.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the phantom body is constructed of a radiologically neutral material, and the radiologically neutral material is a water equivalent material.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein constructing the first test pattern comprises simultaneously extruding the first material and the second material, wherein the extrusion of the second material is according to the first test pattern design file.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein constructing the first test pattern comprises sequential extruding the first material, then extruding the second material, wherein the extrusion of the second material is according to the first test pattern design file.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
constructing the first test pattern by extruding the second material according to the first test pattern design file;
stopping extrusion of the first material; and
continuing construction of the first test pattern by extruding a third material according to the first test pattern design file, the third material being radiologically distinct from the first material and the second material.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a first portion of the first test pattern comprises the first material and the second material, and a second portion of the first test pattern comprises the second material and the third material.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first test pattern is constructed simultaneous to construction of a portion of the phantom body and both the first test pattern and the phantom body are constructed by 3D printing.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the first test pattern is constructed by extrusion of the first material, and the second material forms a second portion of the first test pattern surrounding the first portion.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating a 3-D printer according to the first test pattern design file to extrude the first material and to extrude the second material to construct the first test pattern.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first test pattern comprises alternating layers of the first material and the second material, wherein the second material is a low-Z material and the first material comprises the low-Z material in combination with a metal additive to form the high-Z material.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the metal additive is zinc oxide.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
constructing a plurality of test patterns, wherein the plurality of test patterns comprises the first test pattern; and
wherein each test pattern of the plurality of test patterns comprises alternating layers of the first material and the second material, wherein the second material is a low-Z material and the first material comprises the low-Z material in combination with a metal additive, and each test pattern of the plurality of test patterns comprises a different thickness of the alternating layers of the first material and the second material.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
constructing the first test pattern by extruding the second material according to the first test pattern design file; and
constructing the first test pattern by extruding a third material according to the first test pattern design file;
wherein the first material, second material, and third material are each different from the other two in at least one of physical density, electron density, CT number, or attenuation.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiological evaluation device comprises:
a first operative region comprising at least the first material and the second material, the first operative region comprising:
the first test pattern comprising the first material and the second material secured to the first material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first operative region further comprises a third material surrounding the first test pattern.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first test pattern comprises alternating layers of the first material and the second material forming a series of line pairs across the first test pattern.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each layer of the alternating layers is less than 200 microns in thickness.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second material is a base material and the first material is the base material in combination with a metal additive to create the high-Z material.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the base material has a CT number between −200 and 200 at 120 kVp.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the base material is ABS plastic.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the metal additive is zinc-oxide.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein each layer of the alternating layers is a 3-dimensional layer having a thickness less than 200 microns, a height, and a depth.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the depth of each layer of the alternating layers extends through the operative region.
24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the phantom body comprises a radiologically neutral material, wherein the first operative region is secured within the phantom body.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the phantom body comprises an aperture and the first operative region is a phantom insert configured to be removably secured within the aperture.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-Z material has a CT number greater than 300 and less than 3000 HU at 120 kVp.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiological evaluation device comprises:
a first operative region comprising the test pattern comprising the first material and the second material secured to the first material, wherein the first material comprises a first thermoplastic base material and the second material comprises a second thermoplastic base material.