[Gastric phantom for training beginners in gastric segment (Stomap) recognition]

Area of Science:

• Radiological Technology
• Medical Imaging Education

Background:

• Understanding the three-dimensional (3D) construction of gastric lesions from barium meal X-ray examinations is challenging for beginners.
• Accurate interpretation of gastric X-rays requires a solid grasp of stomach anatomy and lesion spatial relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel training stomach phantom designed to aid beginners in understanding 3D gastric anatomy.
• To assess the phantom's effectiveness in improving the recognition of lesion positions in gastric X-ray examinations.

Main Methods:

• A hook-shaped stomach phantom was constructed using styrene, wire, and clay, coated with a dental stiffening agent.
• The phantom was sectioned, internal clay removed, dried, and reassembled to simulate stomach segments.
• An evaluation experiment involved 10 students comparing X-ray films with and without the phantom segment to identify markers.

Main Results:

• The use of the stomach phantom segment in X-ray films led to a statistically significant improvement in the recognition of marker positions (p=0.021).
• Trainees demonstrated enhanced ability to understand the 3D construction of gastric lesions when using the phantom.

Conclusions:

• The developed stomach phantom is a valuable educational tool for improving beginners' comprehension of 3D gastric anatomy in barium meal X-ray studies.
• This training aid can enhance diagnostic confidence and accuracy by facilitating a better understanding of lesion localization.