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This study aims to evaluate the average density, mechanical stability, and the suitability of Rhizophora spp. particleboard bonded with epoxy resin as tissue-equivalent phantom materials. The particleboards were fabricated with added epoxy at levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%. CT scan was used to evaluate the epoxy distribution. The sample with 15% epoxy level complied with the Japanese Industrial Standards. Moreover, the crystallinity was measured by microscopic analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the values of mass density and effective atomic number of the studied samples were well agreed and close to the value of water. Both microscopic analysis and XRD results showed the utility of epoxy in filling up the gaps and increasing the crystallinity. In addition, the standard deviation (SD) value of fabricated particleboard bonded with 15% epoxy resin provided a good matching with the SD value of Catphan 600 phantom. Furthermore, 15% of epoxy, as a binder material, was considered the best percentage to achieve high performance and to enhance the mechanical stability of Rhizophora particleboards. In conclusion, epoxy resin improves the mechanical and physical properties of Rhizophora spp. particleboards to be performed as a phantom material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the attenuation properties of epoxy resin and Rhizophora spp. particleboards bonded with epoxy resin as tissue equivalent phantom materials. The calculated linear and mass attenuation coefficients of epoxy resin and Rhizophora spp . particleboards bonded with three different weight percentages of the epoxy resin (5%, 10% and 15%) were compared with theoretical (XCOM) and experimental measurements of human liver tissue and water at the same energy levels. The 241 Am and 109 Cd point sources were used to measure the linear and mass attenuation coefficients of the samples at gamma energies; 26.3, 59.5 and 88.0 keV. The computed tomography (CT) scanner was employed to determine the mean attenuation values (CT number) for the fabricated samples and water at CT tube energy 120 kVp. The linear and mass attenuation coefficients of epoxy resin and fabricated Rhizophora spp . particleboard bonded with 15% of epoxy resin provided excellent agreement to the values of XCOM calculated in the human liver tissue and water, respectively. The CT number results showed that the epoxy resin and the Rhizophora spp . particleboard bonded with15% epoxy were in a good agreement with those of human liver tissue and water, respectively. Therefore, the overall attenuation measurements of this study verify the applicability of epoxy resin as a phantom material to mimic the human liver in CT examinations and the epoxy– Rhizophora spp. particleboard fabricated with 15% epoxy resin can be used as a tissue equivalent material corresponding to CT energy range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]