Anthropomorphic ultrasound elastography phantoms — Characterization of silicone materials to build breast elastography phantoms

In this paper a mechanical characterization of low cost and simply available materials to build efficient anthropomorphic ultrasound elastography phantoms is described. The class of silicone materials was selected because of their deformability, durability and the possibility of reproducing specific tissue properties and shapes. Innovative formulations of silicone mixtures with echogenic and/or softening additives were tested. The proposed models have good acoustic properties and tactile feedback; moreover they are durable and do not require special storage since they do not dehydrate or decompose over time.