An anthropomorphic torso section phantom for ultrasonic imaging.

Using stable materials capable of mimicking any soft tissues of the human body--quantitatively with respect to speed of sound, density, and attenuation coefficient and semiquantitatively with respect to scatter--we have constructed a torso section phantom containing simulated bowel gas, kidney, kidney fat pad, liver, tumor, cyst, bony structures, and resolution fibers. Simple geometries and precise knowledge of ultrasonic properties allow artifacts to be produced and explained with great confidence. Artifacts due to refraction and reflection are particularly dramatic. Phantoms such as this should be useful as stage one phantoms for training ultrasonographers. Such phantoms should also be of use to those who are doing research in ultrasonic image processing. This might involve, for example, recognizing image artifacts and reducing their effect in the formation of the image.