Characterising breast tissue for the development of a tissue-equivalent phantom

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This paper will present progress being made with the development of a radiologically tissue-equivalent phantom constructed from hydrophilic materials. These materials have the ability to absorb water without being dissolved in it. The quantity of water uptake can be accurately controlled in the manufacturing process. We have been working on characterising the radiological properties of normal and diseased breast tissue and, to date, we have concentrated on linear attenuation measurements, scattering properties and elemental analysis. Preliminary results will be presented including recent trace element analysis carried out at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).