Development of a ventricular cerebrospinal fluid dynamics phantom

Motivation: Although phantom studies are required to establish a method for measuring the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, there is no phantom that can simulate its dynamics. Goal(s): To develop a ventricular CSF dynamics phantom. Approach: We generated complex flow within the simulated ventricles by pulsatile flow from a pump to expand and contract the simulated lateral ventricle wall, and validated whether designed flow occurred using 4D-flow MRI. Results: We could generate CSF pulsation within the simulated ventricles and set both the stroke volume and average flow velocity in the simulated ventricles flexibly by adjusting the stroke volume of a pump. Impact: A phantom capable of simulating the complex cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow within the ventricles promotes fundamental research toward establishing optimal measurement methods of CSF flow, which is currently a challenge in the analysis of CSF dynamics.