Development of Anthropomorphic Fetal MRI Phantom

The accuracy of MRI in obstetric settings is often limited by motion artifacts from frequent and spontaneous fetal gross body movement. Development of new MR sequences that avoid these artifacts pivots on extensive testing. Development of an MRI phantom that simulates fetal tissue properties, anatomical structures, and gross body motion will allow for rapid testing, along with reproducible data that will shorten the development time of such MR sequences. This thesis proposes an anthropomorphic MRI phantom of fetal gross body and brain that simulates MR imaging properties, dielectric properties, and the anatomical shape. Various experiments, including relaxometry, dielectric, and mechanical tests, were performed to determine the most appropriate tissue-mimicking material for simulating properties of tissues of interest. For simulating the anatomical shape, MRI data of a 35-week fetus was used to reconstruct a 3D model applied for designing and 3D printing of the phantom molds.