MR Phantoms

Emerging quantitative MRI methods are increasingly used for non-invasive diagnosis, staging and treatment monitoring in both clinical care and clinical trials. However, the lack of viable MRI phantoms that mimic the combination of water, fat, iron and fibrosis experienced in liver disease states is a major barrier to the development of new quantitative MRI biomarkers, as well as effective quality assurance in clinical environments. Such phantoms are also needed for quality assurance, calibration and qualification of MRI scanners for use in multicenter drug development trials. We work to develop and validate phantoms suitable for quantifying liver biomarkers, often performing multi-vendor MR studies with other institutions.