Homemade ultrasound phantom for simulation of hydronephrosis

Self-made transvaginal ultrasound simulator: new training equipment in ultrasound evaluation of controlled ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval

Aim

We sought to create and describe a self-made simulator designed and created for teaching purposes: a high-fidelity ultrasound phantom for demonstrating antral follicle count, ultrasound supervision of controlled of ovarian stimulation, and ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval.

Materials and methods

The uterus and ovaries of the ultrasound phantom were made from beef tongue, a male condom, latex gloves, cotton suture threads, bi-distilled water, and ultrasound gel. The components were placed in a pelvis created using three-dimensional (3D) printing. The phantom was presented to and evaluated by a group of 14 physicians pursuing a postgraduate course in reproductive medicine. Two training stations were structured: one to simulate antral follicle count and controlled ovarian stimulation and the other to simulate ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval. Future specialists were requested to complete a feedback questionnaire evaluating the self-made simulator and the two practice stations.

Results

The transvaginal ultrasound phantom was successfully created, making it possible to simulate antral follicle count, ultrasound control of ovarian hyperstimulation, and oocyte retrieval, and to capture ultrasound images. A review of the answers provided in the feedback questionnaire showed that the phantom had a good appearance and design, was realistic, helped to improve motor coordination, and could be a useful tool in the training of specialists in assisted reproduction.

Conclusion

This phantom was designed to enable instruction and practice in the evaluation of ovarian follicles and ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval in a supervised training environment. This self-made simulator is proposed as a training tool that could be included in the curricular structure of residency and postgraduate programs in reproductive medicine.

Fabrication of low-cost realistic three-dimensional static kidney phantom for ultrasound-guided biopsy applications

Background:

The rapid growth of using ultrasound-guided interventional procedures, including biopsy and drainage, which considered painful procedures, leads to improving the practice cycle of ultrasound-guided procedures. Fabrication of low-cost tissue-mimicking phantoms that serve as a training tool medium for kidney needle biopsy procedures has dramatically overcome the drawbacks associated with these practices, such as reducing the number of miss lesions, medical errors, and recurrence rate as well as these phantoms are widely available and considered a good substitute for cadavers which were not always available and relativity expensive. However, several drawbacks are associated with current kidney phantom models, mainly the short shelf life and the high fabrication cost.

Methods:

This study aims to fabricate a realistic three-dimensional static mature human kidney phantom from low cost and available material for training on ultrasound-guided interventional procedures mainly biopsy test; the material used to fabricate our model is the gelatin-agar mixture.

Results:

This model proved that it is a tissue-mimicking material by measuring their acoustic properties which nearly the same as real human kidney tissue.

Conclusion:

The results of practicing interventional procedures on our phantom model showed good and easy uses for interventional procedures training as well as make it a preferable and economically affordable model.

Systematic Review of Current Ultrasound Use in Education and Simulation in the Field of Urology

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

We investigate articles in the literature published in the last 5 years (2014-2019) regarding ultrasound education in the specialty of urology.

RECENT FINDINGS

Ultrasound has been touted as the modern day stethoscope. Medical educational governing bodies have encouraged the incorporation of ultrasound in medical school education. However, in this review, we find that there are gaps in educational opportunities and standardization in residency and continuing education for urology practitioners. We have identified several new tools for procedure-specific training published in the last 5 years including MRI fusion prostate biopsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy. New technology is being fused with traditional ultrasound training to provide procedure-specific ultrasound knowledge. There is a need to incorporate new technology and standards into resident and continuing medical education.