In nuclear medicine, it’s important to accurately measure radiation dose and image quality to keep patients safe and ensure clear results. However, this is difficult because current thyroid phantoms, used to simulate the human thyroid—are expensive, hard to get, and don’t properly reflect real human anatomy or how radioactive substances behave in the body. This makes it hard for doctors and researchers to test and improve imaging methods, check radiation levels, and ensure consistent image quality. There is a need for a low-cost, realistic, and easy-to-reproduce thyroid phantom to support better testing, training, and research in nuclear medicine

The solution is a cost-effective, anatomically accurate thyroid phantom designed to improve both imaging and treatment in nuclear medicine. Made to closely match the human thyroid’s shape, structure, and tissue properties, the phantom allows for realistic testing of imaging systems and radiation dose delivery. It helps healthcare professionals and researchers accurately measure radiotracer uptake and radiation dose, reducing trial-and-error in imaging and improving treatment planning, especially for conditions like thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. The phantom also supports the development of new imaging protocols and radiopharmaceuticals, as well as the study of thyroid function and disease. By combining precise simulation with built-in dosimetry features, this phantom offers a practical and reliable tool for safer, more effective nuclear medicine procedures.

This innovation is a realistic thyroid phantom designed to improve accuracy in both imaging and treatment in nuclear medicine. It closely mimics the shape, size, and tissue properties of the human thyroid and includes built-in features to measure radiation dose. The phantom supports testing and improving radiotracer uptake methods, such as Standardised Uptake Values (SUVs), iodine uptake, and how tracers spread in the gland. It allows for precise dose measurements, which helps make treatments like radioiodine therapy for thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism safer and more effective.It also helps in testing new imaging methods, developing new radiopharmaceuticals, and studying thyroid diseases. With its dual function and high accuracy, this phantom is a useful tool for both medical practice and research.