Project overview
DAPPER is developing an anatomically realistic anthropomorphic phantom to improve quantitative imaging and personalised dosimetry for radioimmunotherapy.
Current clinical calibration phantoms use simplified geometries that do not adequately reproduce the complex anatomy and tissue composition of the human body. This is particularly important for bone marrow dosimetry, where the lumbar spine has complex and highly variable anatomy.
DAPPER combines high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT), clinical CT, image-based modelling, statistical shape analysis and advanced manufacturing to develop anatomically representative vertebral phantoms. The project will investigate bone-equivalent materials and 3D-printing approaches and use computational modelling and Monte Carlo simulation to support phantom design and quantitative validation.
The resulting phantom will be evaluated using SPECT/CT at University Hospital Southampton and the National Physical Laboratory, including comparison with conventional calibration phantoms and evaluation across different imaging systems. The project will also explore the use of total-body PET for post-therapy verification.
The overall aim is to improve the accuracy and standardisation of quantitative nuclear medicine imaging and radionuclide therapy dosimetry, supporting more accurate personalised treatment planning and future multicentre clinical studies.
Current clinical calibration phantoms use simplified geometries that do not adequately reproduce the complex anatomy and tissue composition of the human body. This is particularly important for bone marrow dosimetry, where the lumbar spine has complex and highly variable anatomy.
DAPPER combines high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT), clinical CT, image-based modelling, statistical shape analysis and advanced manufacturing to develop anatomically representative vertebral phantoms. The project will investigate bone-equivalent materials and 3D-printing approaches and use computational modelling and Monte Carlo simulation to support phantom design and quantitative validation.
The resulting phantom will be evaluated using SPECT/CT at University Hospital Southampton and the National Physical Laboratory, including comparison with conventional calibration phantoms and evaluation across different imaging systems. The project will also explore the use of total-body PET for post-therapy verification.
The overall aim is to improve the accuracy and standardisation of quantitative nuclear medicine imaging and radionuclide therapy dosimetry, supporting more accurate personalised treatment planning and future multicentre clinical studies.
