Design and Validation of a Cellulose Nanofiber-based Phantom for Modeling Extracellular Water Diffusion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7577/radopen.6648Abstract
Introduction: The current study aimed to develop a novel diffusion phantom composed of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) and glass beads (GBs), and evaluate its validation for quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using short-term apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) stability and microstructural correlation.
Methods: A cross-sectional, A series of phantoms were prepared by mixing CNF with varying amounts of GBs. Seven phantoms with GB concentrations ranging from 0 to 8.4 g per 30 ml were scanned on a 3.0 T MRI at days 0, 30, 60, and 90 using a single-shot EPI DWI (b = 0, 1000 s/mm²).
Results: ADC and CV values were derived. A strong negative correlation was observed between GB density and ADC (r = –0.998, p < 0.001). CVs remained below 5% for all GB concentrations except the highest (8.4 g), indicating excellent stability.
Conclusion: The CNF based phantom offers a stable model for simulating restricted diffusion, overcoming drawbacks of existing phantoms. Its performance may support future applications in DWI protocol standardization and preliminary validation of quantitative ADC measurements.
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