Technical Innovation
Ultrasound Phantom Using Sodium Alginate as a Gelling Agent
Minoru Aoyagi PhD,
Tomomi Hiraguri MS,
Corresponding Author
Minoru Aoyagi PhD
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
Address correspondence to Minoru Aoyagi, PhD, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, 4-1 Gakuendai, Miyashiro, Saitama 345-8501, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTomomi Hiraguri MS
Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokoha University, Shizuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorMinoru Aoyagi PhD,
Tomomi Hiraguri MS,
Corresponding Author
Minoru Aoyagi PhD
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, Saitama, Japan
Address correspondence to Minoru Aoyagi, PhD, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Nippon Institute of Technology, 4-1 Gakuendai, Miyashiro, Saitama 345-8501, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTomomi Hiraguri MS
Faculty of Health Sciences, Tokoha University, Shizuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorThis work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan/Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Kakenhi grant 15K01338).
Abstract
For medical workers, ultrasound phantoms for human soft tissue are used not only for accuracy management of ultrasound diagnosis but also to aid ultrasound-guided needle and blind catheter insertion training without risk to real patients. For the phantoms, ultrasound characteristics and a texture are required to mimic the human soft tissue. The proposed phantom was composed of sodium alginate, calcium sulfate dihydrate, trisodium phosphate 12-hydrate, glycerol, and water. The propagation speed, attenuation coefficient, acoustic impedance, and texture of the proposed phantom were almost the same as those of human soft tissue. Expensive chemicals and special equipment are not required.
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