Development and Validation of a PVP-Based Phantom for ADC Measurement in Simulated Malignant Disease

Motivation: ADC measurement using diffusion-weighted imaging helps distinguish malignant from benign lesions. Accurate ADC quantification is critical for diagnosis, but existing phantoms are limited. Goal(s): To develop a stable, reproducible PVP-based phantom that simulates malignant ADC values, enabling accurate measurements. Approach: PVP phantoms with varying concentrations were prepared and scanned with a 1.5-tesla MR system. ADC values were derived and compared to those reported for malignant diseases. Results: ADC values in the phantoms closely matched literature values for various cancers, and remained stable over 16 weeks with less than 4.0% variation. Impact: This phantom could standardize ADC measurement, aiding more accurate diagnosis and opening pathways to refine ADC-based diagnostic tools and protocols.