An anthropomorphic MR motion phantom of the pregnant abdomen

2018 Research Internship Project


Faculty Name

Dafna Sussman

Project Title

An anthropomorphic MR motion phantom of the pregnant abdomen

Project Description

Magnetic resonance facilitates acquisition of high-resolution, high-contrast, 3-dimensional images of soft tissue, as well as collection of spectroscopic data that can reveal detailed information about organ metabolism. These features, combined with the lack of ionizing radiation have made MRI and MRS attractive imaging modalities for gathering structural and functional data on the growing human fetus. However, fetal MRI is heavily susceptible to motion corruption which cause imaging artifacts and spectral distortion that degrade the image resolution and spectral accuracy, respectively. Development of new protocols that address and alleviate these issues requires extensive testing which can only safely be done on an MR phantom. We will develop an anthropomorphic MR motion phantom of the gravid abdomen for testing of motion correction approaches in MRI and MRS acquisitions.

Student Responsibility

During the summer internship, the student will research available MR motion phantoms and means of simulating fetal motion, outline steps for creating an anthropomorphic gravid phantom, determine necessary material properties of each component, source materials, identify fabrication methods, and start creating the phantom. This biomedical engineering project will allow the student to develop a deeper understanding of MR physics, biomaterial properties, fetal physiology and development, and fabrication techniques.

Specific Requirements

Completion of at least second year of the BME program, previous research experience in and understanding of biomaterials, solid foundations in physics and chemistry, strong interest in medical imaging of fetal development. Experience in 3D printing techniques is an advantage.

Reseach Internship Application

Dafna Sussman : An anthropomorphic MR motion phantom of the pregnant abdomen | Friday March 30th 2018 02:01 PM