Comparison of two ultrasonic phantom manufacturing protocols made of polyvinyl chloride Plastisol

Ultrasonography is an important and well-accepted technique, once it is noninvasive and capable of giving complementary information that helps the radiologist classifying lesions. Consequently, it is worthy to invest in the design and production of phantoms to provide support to controlled experiments as well as help training health professionals, and Computer Aided-Diagnoses systems. However, there is a need in the literature for a standardised protocol that helps further comparison studies. In this study, two ultrasonic phantoms were constructed to mimic soft tissue. The material used in these phantoms is the polyvinyl chloride plastisol - PVCP, a well-known material used in other areas. The protocols differ at its heating tools: Electric and microwave stove. Eight phantoms for each protocol were made, and their respective ultrasound propagation speed and attenuation coefficients were compared, showing a statistical difference between speeds but no difference in attenuation. The two manufacturing protocols demonstrated to be useful for phantom confection with no significant changes in acoustics properties. This paper is a valuable tool at the demand for protocols standardisation.