Abstract
Ultrasound-guided needle interventions are common procedures in medicine, and tissue-mimicking
phantoms are widely used for simulation training to bridge the gap between theory
and clinical practice in a controlled environment. This review assesses tissue-mimicking
materials from 24 studies as candidates for a high-fidelity ultrasound phantom, including
methods for evaluating relevant acoustic and mechanical properties and to what extent
the reported materials mimic the superficial layers of biological tissue. Speed of
sound, acoustic attenuation, Young's modulus, hardness, needle interaction forces,
training efficiency and material limitations were systematically evaluated. Although
gelatin and agar have the closest acoustic values to tissue, mechanical properties
are limited, and strict storage protocols must be employed to counteract dehydration
and microbial growth. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has superior mechanical properties
and is a suitable alternative if durability is desired and some ultrasound realism
to human tissue may be sacrificed. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), while also requiring hydration,
performs well across all categories. Furthermore, we propose a framework for the evaluation
of future ultrasound-guided needle intervention tissue phantoms to increase the fidelity
of training programs and thereby improve clinical performance.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 07, 2022
Accepted:
July 30,
2022
Received in revised form:
July 7,
2022
Received:
February 10,
2022
Identification
Copyright
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