Abstract: A phantom for medical imaging instrumentation, the phantom including a first hydrogel matrix, said matrix containing additives for simulating the optical and acoustic properties of a living organ or tissue. In the phantom, the additives include Indian ink or haemoglobin, silica powder and titanium dioxide powder. The phantom may contain a tumor simulator in solid or liquid form. It may also comprise several hydrogel matrices, each matrix including additives in different concentrations depending on the organ or tissue simulated. A method of producing the phantom includes one or more freeze-thaw cycles for optimizing the characteristics of the phantom.

Abstract: A method of tracing the likely contour of an anatomical element in a sectional image of an anatomical site, the image being composed of pixels having different intensities, the method including the steps of: a) forming columns of pixels passing through the anatomical element; b) assigning each pixel a pixel score representing the probability of the pixel being situated on the contour of the anatomical element; c) constituting a matrix of pixel scores from a plurality of columns of pixels and defining numerous continuous paths of pixels, each passing through a single pixel of each column; d) assigning each continuous path a path score that is a function of the scores of the pixels constituting the continuous path; e) selecting from a set of continuous paths the path that has the best path score, that path representing the likely contour of the anatomical element.

Abstract: A phantom for medical imaging instrumentation, the phantom including a first hydrogel matrix, said matrix containing additives for simulating the optical and acoustic properties of a living organ or tissue. In the phantom, the additives include Indian ink or haemoglobin, silica powder and titanium dioxide powder. The phantom may contain a tumor simulator in solid or liquid form. It may also comprise several hydrogel matrices, each matrix including additives in different concentrations depending on the organ or tissue simulated. A method of producing the phantom includes one or more freeze-thaw cycles for optimizing the characteristics of the phantom.

Abstract: A method of tracing the likely contour of an anatomical element (S, C) in a sectional image of an anatomical site, the image being composed of pixels (Pi) having different intensities, the method comprising the following steps: a) forming columns (K) of pixels (Pi) passing through the anatomical element (S, C), b) assigning each pixel (Pi) a pixel score representing the probability of the pixel being situated on the contour of the anatomical element (S, C), c) constituting a matrix of pixel scores from a plurality of columns (K) of pixels and defining numerous continuous paths of pixels, each passing through a single pixel of each column, d) assigning each continuous path a path score that is a function of the scores of the pixels constituting the continuous path, e) selecting from a set of continuous paths the path that has the best path score, that path representing the likely contour of the anatomical element.