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Choosing the Right Tool for Medical Imaging Training: Live Models vs. Cadavers vs. Phantoms
Saniya Hussain, TPS | October 3, 2024
In medical imaging training and research, there are several types of “patients” available for simulation training/ research: live models (like volunteers), cadavers, and phantoms. Each plays a unique role in replicating human anatomy and providing various medical scenarios. However, each option comes with its own set of benefits and challenges, and determining which one is right for your needs can be complex.
Here we will delve into the key differences between using live volunteers, cadavers, and phantoms in medical imaging training and research. We will compare several key concerns about each tool which are essential to take into consideration such as their storage and transport requirements, safety, lifespan, etc. By understanding these distinctions, educators and researchers can make informed decisions on which tool best suits their teaching or investigative goals, balancing the need for realism with ethical, financial, and practical considerations.
| Criteria | Live Models/Volunteers | Cadavers | True Phantom Solutions’ Phantoms |
| Safety and Re-useability | Repeated exposure to radiation can cause significant health risks to live models and patients. | Reusable, but degrades over time. It can also dry out or lose structural integrity. Must also be properly stored to avoid contamination. | Can be used multiple times with no fear of harm to the phantom or anyone else. |
| Length of use | Limited; patients cannot undergo the same procedures multiple times. | Once thawed, the cadaver can only be used for a limited period before it needs to be refrozen. | Can be used as long as required with no risk of degradation. |
| Life Span | N/A | Frozen cadavers can be used for long periods but repeated thawing and freezing degrades the tissue quality over time. | The phantoms will provide consistent results for 10+ years with no tissue degradation if stored properly. |
| Customizing ability | Hard to find volunteers with specific required pathologies | It is harder to find cadavers with specific required pathologies | Phantoms can be customised at the time of order to mimic different anatomies, pathologies, or conditions. |
| Imaging Compatibility | Compatible with all imaging modalities | Compatible with most imaging technologies; preservation techniques might affect tissue density. | Compatibility can be customised based on the requirements. TPS phantoms are also multi-modal compatible. |
| Cost associated | High costs for patient care, monitoring, and radiation safety. | Moderate cost for purchase but come with recurring costs pertaining to storage and care. | Initial cost can be high, but long-term use makes them cost-effective. |
| Ease of Use | Risk of Radiation Harm to patients; Animals need to be carefully sedated | Cadavers need to be carefully thawed before they can be used. Frozen tissues are too dense for accurate imaging. May also emit fluids or gases | Phantoms need only be taken out of storage and, if required, assembled before use. |
Volunteer foot Positioning for taking X-Ray
Cross-section view of the Visible Human Male and Female
|
Criteria |
Live Models/Volunteers | Cadavers |
True Phantom Solutions’ Phantoms |
| Realistic results | Provides the most accurate representation of static and dynamic anatomy and function. | Can provide highly realistic static scan results. But cannot image physiological functions like circulation or breathing. | Accurate for structural training but limited in replicating minute details like those of blood vessels, fat tissue layers, etc. We can simulate heartbeat and breathing to a certain degree |
| Ethical Concerns | Requires informed consent. Includes high risks of radiation and discomfort. | Ethical concerns about using deceased bodies. Requires pre-death consent or family consent. | No ethical concerns due to a fully synthetic model. |
| Flexibility/ Movement | Fully flexible, responsive to physiological functions and movement. | Limited flexibility post-rigor mortis. | Designed with articulating joints to mimic human or animal movement. Should not be moved beyond limit. |
| Availability | Limited availability due to ethical, scheduling, and health concerns. | Can be difficult to acquire, requires legal permissions, and limited supply. | Readily available once purchased, no need for legal or ethical clearance. |
| Teaching Application | Good for training on real-life variability, pathologies, and responses. | Ideal for hands-on dissection and post-mortem studies, but lacks live functionality. | Ideal for procedural training (positioning, imaging, calibration) without ethical concerns or risks. |
| RnD Application | Real-time responses allow for functional studies but pose ethical concerns and health risks especially for novel or invasive procedures. | Fewer ethical concerns but do not allow for customisation or real-time responses. Can also degrade over time and may not sustain long-term studies. | No ethical concerns, highly reproducible, complete control on anatomical and pathological features, limited real-time motions also achieved. Do not provide detailed results |
| Storage and Transport | N/A | Requires large temperature-controlled spaces. Challenging to transport. | Hard Carry Storage case is provided with most phantoms for easy storage and transportation. They only need to be stored in a clean and dry spot away from direct UV light. |
Live models or volunteers provide the most realistic results but introduce significant ethical and safety concerns, especially when repeated exposure to radiation is involved. Cadavers, while ethically less challenging, can still be a cause of concern due to the growing black market of human cadavers and body parts around the world. They come with logistical challenges related to procurement and preservation, and also offer less dynamic realism.
Synthetic phantoms, like those from True Phantom Solutions, present a versatile alternative for radiologists and researchers. They avoid ethical dilemmas, offer consistency across repeated trials, and are designed for long-term use without degradation. However, phantoms cannot fully replicate the complexity of a live person or animal, which makes them less ideal for cases requiring highly detailed imaging results.
Understanding the distinctions between live models, cadavers, and phantoms is key to figuring out the right option for your specific research or training goals.