NIST Scientists Show World Their Phannie

One of the challenges investigators hoping to advance quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have faced is the lack of a standardized phantom to calibrate scanners. Quantitative MRI aims to remove as much subjectivity from image interpretation as possible by correlating values to certain features observable by MRI – analogous to the Hounsfield unit used in CT. Until now, a suitable phantom has not been available for this purpose.
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), together with the standards committee of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM), have recently presented their solution to this dilemma. Phannie, the first phantom traceable to standardized values, is filled with small plastic spheres containing various enhancing agents. Investigators using Phannie can assess image contrast, resolution, and accuracy of distance and volume measurements. Designed to be stable and (eventually) affordable, the researchers hope that Phannie will improve the quality and consistency of scanning throughout the world.
More from the press release: Meet Phannie, NIST’s Standard ‘Phantom’ for Calibrating MRI Machines…