A multipurpose MRI phantom based on a reverse micelle solution.

Many chemical solutions for use in magnetic resonance imaging phantoms have been reported in the literature. Each of these solutions has its application-specific advantages and disadvantages. We propose a single reverse micelle phantom solution, which, although not a universal phantom solution, may find applications in testing of the radio frequency transmit and receive fields of an imaging coil, the homogeneity of the static magnetic field, and the suppression in a fat or water saturation imaging sequence. The solution is thermodynamically stable and biologically inert, it possesses a smaller standing wave artifact than water, and its overall spin lattice relaxation times may be adjusted.