Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production
Objectives: Anthropomorphic phantoms offer a promising solution to minimize animal testing, enable medical training, and support the efficient development of medical devices. The adjustable mechanical, biochemical, and imaging properties of the polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) make it an appropriat...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Bioengineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/171 |
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| author | Ivan Vogt Martin Volk Emma-Luise Kulzer Janis Seibt Maciej Pech Georg Rose Oliver S. Grosser |
| author_facet | Ivan Vogt Martin Volk Emma-Luise Kulzer Janis Seibt Maciej Pech Georg Rose Oliver S. Grosser |
| author_sort | Ivan Vogt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Anthropomorphic phantoms offer a promising solution to minimize animal testing, enable medical training, and support the efficient development of medical devices. The adjustable mechanical, biochemical, and imaging properties of the polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) make it an appropriate phantom material for mimicking soft tissues. Conventional manufacturing (CM) of aqueous solutions requires constant stirring, using a heated water bath, and monitoring. Methods: To explore potential improvements in the dissolution of PVA crystals in water, a microwave-based manufacturing method (MWM) was employed. Samples created using CM and MWM (<i>n</i> = 14 each) were compared. Because PVA-C is a multifunctional phantom material (e.g., in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), its MRI properties (T1/T2 relaxation times) and elasticity were determined. Results: T1 relaxation times did not significantly differ between the two methods (<i>p</i> = 0.3577), whereas T2 and elasticity for the MWM were significantly higher than those for the CM (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The MWM reduced the production time by 11% and decreased active user involvement by 93%. Conclusions: The MWM offers a promising, easily implementable, and time-efficient method for manufacturing PVA-C-based phantoms. Nevertheless, manufacturing-related microstructural properties and sample molding require further study. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ea64ba64c94c4c1e88db8abd0bb1acd0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2306-5354 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-ea64ba64c94c4c1e88db8abd0bb1acd02025-08-20T02:44:59ZengMDPI AGBioengineering2306-53542025-02-0112217110.3390/bioengineering12020171Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom ProductionIvan Vogt0Martin Volk1Emma-Luise Kulzer2Janis Seibt3Maciej Pech4Georg Rose5Oliver S. Grosser6Research Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Magdeburg, 39120 Magdeburg, GermanyResearch Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyResearch Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyResearch Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyResearch Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyResearch Campus STIMULATE, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, GermanyObjectives: Anthropomorphic phantoms offer a promising solution to minimize animal testing, enable medical training, and support the efficient development of medical devices. The adjustable mechanical, biochemical, and imaging properties of the polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) make it an appropriate phantom material for mimicking soft tissues. Conventional manufacturing (CM) of aqueous solutions requires constant stirring, using a heated water bath, and monitoring. Methods: To explore potential improvements in the dissolution of PVA crystals in water, a microwave-based manufacturing method (MWM) was employed. Samples created using CM and MWM (<i>n</i> = 14 each) were compared. Because PVA-C is a multifunctional phantom material (e.g., in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), its MRI properties (T1/T2 relaxation times) and elasticity were determined. Results: T1 relaxation times did not significantly differ between the two methods (<i>p</i> = 0.3577), whereas T2 and elasticity for the MWM were significantly higher than those for the CM (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The MWM reduced the production time by 11% and decreased active user involvement by 93%. Conclusions: The MWM offers a promising, easily implementable, and time-efficient method for manufacturing PVA-C-based phantoms. Nevertheless, manufacturing-related microstructural properties and sample molding require further study.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/171microwave-based manufacturingphantom materialpolyvinyl alcohol cryogelMRI |
| spellingShingle | Ivan Vogt Martin Volk Emma-Luise Kulzer Janis Seibt Maciej Pech Georg Rose Oliver S. Grosser Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production Bioengineering microwave-based manufacturing phantom material polyvinyl alcohol cryogel MRI |
| title | Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production |
| title_full | Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production |
| title_fullStr | Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production |
| title_short | Microwave-Assisted Optimization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Cryogel (PVA-C) Manufacturing for MRI Phantom Production |
| title_sort | microwave assisted optimization of polyvinyl alcohol cryogel pva c manufacturing for mri phantom production |
| topic | microwave-based manufacturing phantom material polyvinyl alcohol cryogel MRI |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/12/2/171 |
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