FIGURE 2:

(a) The flow circuit. The open-air reservoir holds the blood mimicking fluid, which circulates through the system. The pump pulls the fluid from the reservoir, through a flexible plastic tubing. The pump then pushes the fluid in the flow circuit as prescribed by the programmed flow waveform. The fluid then exits the phantom and returns to the reservoir. (b) A picture of the stenotic phantom on the MRI table; the acrylic phantom has a 1” inner diameter, which narrows to 0.35” at the throat for an 87% area occlusion. (c) The aortic arch phantom precision machined with 1” diameter from clear acrylic. The setup permits changing polymeric valves in a separate block close to the inlet. (d) Calcific polymeric valves, at 50% (left) and at 0% (right) calcification. The valves, which are 1” in diameter, are made of polyurethane with various levels of calcium phosphate.²¹