Background

MRI spectroscopy phantoms are available to buy commercially but the price usually prohibits the purchase in most clinical neuroradiology departments. It is also possible to purchase most metabolites from chemical companies but, again, this can be costly. Many of the chemicals are readily available to purchase in supermarkets and health food stores as dietary supplements and aids. This project tested a homemade spectroscopy phantom for use as a teaching tool in a busy neuroradiology department where there is a high neuro-oncology workload.

Objective

The objective was to develop an MRI spectroscopy phantom suitable for radiography training purposes from items readily available and affordable from a local supermarket.

Methods

12 expired sterile, redundant LAMP testing tubes (each approximately 6ml volume) were glue to a small plastic tray. 2 tubes were filled with the following substances; vegetable oil (lipid), vinegar (this sits closely on the spectrum to NAA and was used as an NAA substitute), Maggi liquid seasoning (monosodium glutamate), Creatine monohydrate supplement (creatine), “Fat Metaboliser” capsules (choline source) and washing up liquid (alternative lipid). The tubes were filled to capacity and glued to a small plastic tray which was then glued to the inside of a wide neck 2 litre water-tight container. This was then filled to capacity with water and sealed. This structure formed the phantom. Multivoxel spectroscopy was performed using a Seimens 3.0T Skyra scanner.

Results

Both single and multi-voxel spectrum sequences were applied and reliable spectrum were obtained. Vinegar provided a satisfactory substitute for NAA.

Conclusions

It is possible to construct an MRI phantom that is suitable for use in teaching radiographers using products bought at a local supermarket. It can be used as a good tool for teaching purposes without the need for an actual neuro-oncology patient. Further work is required to test the reliability of the spectrum using different metabolites and combinations to mimic tumours with a range of metabolites within a given voxel.