About CIRS

Improving the art and science of medical imaging and radiation therapy
Who We Are

CIRS is recognized worldwide as a leader in the manufacture of tissue equivalent phantoms for densitometry, calibration, quality control, research and training in medical imaging and radiation therapy.

What We Do

CIRS is one of few companies that specialize exclusively in the design, development and manufacture of tissue equivalent phantoms for all imaging modalities and the only company offering “multi-modality phantoms” that are tissue equivalent under X-ray, Ultrasound and MRI combined.

Our History

CIRS was founded in 1982 by Dr. Elias Zerhouni. His mission was to create a reference phantom that would enable Computed Tomography Scanners to accurately differentiate benign from malignant lung tumors. His patented “Lung Nodule Reference Simulator” minimized the need for costly and often unnecessary lung thoracotomies. Other products followed including a CT phantom for bone mineral density evaluation and phantoms for evaluating image quality of mammography systems.

Precision is the best medicine
Our Team

With a combination of advanced degrees in physics, material science, anatomy, and engineering, CIRS’ technical team boasts a combined 13 patents and hundreds of peer-reviewed publications. CIRS can provide complete phantom design and development solutions for the myriad technical challenges one might encounter.

Our dedicated production team has an average tenure of more than ten years and includes highly skilled craftsman in the fields of CNC machining, tool and mold production, plastics fabrication, mixing and casting and electromechanical assembly.

Skull
Our specialties
Proprietary materials, meticulous construction
Custom Designs

CIRS is one of the only phantom manufacturers that offers custom designs for a diverse range of customers throughout the medical community. We are uniquely able to offer clients synergies in proprietary tissue simulation technologies, engineering, and manufacturing for applications in medical imaging and radiotherapy. Our engineers are accustomed to developing a wide variety of unique products and look forward to your requests.

From design to delivery
Tissue Simulation

One of CIRS’s core technologies is our ability to formulate proprietary Tissue Equivalent (TE) materials for a wide variety of applications and modalities. We also have an extensive library of standardized formulations, allowing us to tailor phantom designs to the unique needs of our customers.

Tissue Simulation

One of CIRS’s core technologies is our ability to formulate proprietary Tissue Equivalent (TE) materials for a wide variety of applications and modalities. We also have an extensive library of standardized formulations, allowing us to tailor phantom designs to the unique needs of our customers.

Detailed
inspection
and testing

Our TE technology has been validated through specific testing, continuous monitoring of manufacturing applications, and worldwide use and acceptance of products for more than 35 years.

Detailed inspection and testing
Environmental Stewardship

Among other initiatives, CIRS partnered with the commonwealth of Virginia and Convert Solar to install a 325kW on grid solar system comprised of an array of state of the art monocrystalline high performance photovoltaic panels.   The system provides over 75% of the building’s peak energy requirements with excess energy production returned to the local grid to provide clean power to other users. The system reduces CO2 emissions from traditional power generation by about 250 metric tons a year which is equivalent to 30,000 gallons of gasoline, 300,000 pounds of coal or 650 barrels of oil.  Annual carbon sequestration is equal to approximately 43 acres of US forest for one year.  Click here to view our solar system dashboard. 

Please note: CIRS is now part of Sun Nuclear, making us stronger together. The full suite of CIRS solutions will remain available for browsing on this site and are also available for order through your Sun Nuclear sales representative.