TITLE:
Development and Validation of a Vascular Flow Phantom for Doppler Ultrasound Evaluation
AUTHORS:
Millena Victoria Azevedo de Souza, Fernanda Vastag, Valéria Alves de Alencar, Henrique Zenga Carrenho, Marcia Roberta de Souza Caffeu, Luiz Carlos da Silva, Jônatas Cerqueira Dias, Jeferson Cerqueira Dias, Diolino José dos Santos Filho
KEYWORDS:
Phantom, Tissue-Mimicking Material, Doppler Ultrasound, Vascular Flow
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering,
Vol.19 No.6,
June
15,
2026
ABSTRACT: Vascular flow phantoms are essential tools for the calibration of Doppler ultrasound systems, professional training, and experimental hemodynamic studies. This study aimed to develop and validate a low-cost vascular flow phantom capable of reproducing clinically relevant blood flow patterns, including disturbed and non-laminar conditions, for Doppler ultrasound evaluation. The proposed system consists of tissue-mimicking materials, vessel-mimicking structures, a controlled hydraulic circuit, and an embedded electronic control system based on the ESP32 microcontroller. Metallic spheres were incorporated within the flow channel to generate controlled flow perturbations, enabling the simulation of complex hemodynamic scenarios. Experimental validation was performed using a ultrasound system with standardized acquisition parameters. The phantom successfully reproduced distinct flow regimes, including laminar and turbulent conditions. Quantitative Doppler measurements demonstrated clear differences between flow profiles, including spectral broadening and heterogeneous color flow patterns in regions with induced disturbances, supporting the reproducibility and functional reliability of the proposed system. The results indicate that the developed phantom is suitable for biomedical engineering research, ultrasound training, and functional validation of Doppler imaging systems. Its modular structure also enables future expansion for more complex cardiovascular simulations.