A comparison of sonographic image quality between the examinations using gel and olive oil, as sound media

To compare the quality of real-time sonographic images obtained from the examinations using two different sound media, ultrasound gel and olive oil.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted on the study population recruited from the routine ultrasound service with written informed consent. Each patient underwent scan using both ultrasound gel and olive oil as sound media, but only one media at a time. During each patient examination, the first type of sound media was randomly used and then followed by the other media. The sonographic images of the same plane were recorded as video clips for each type of sound media. The quality of images were blindly evaluated by one experienced sonographer and the quality of ultrasound images was rated as 0 (very poor), 1 (poor), 2 (fair), and 3 (good), respectively.

Of 346 cases (692 video clips), the image quality scores in ultrasound gel group and olive oil group were poor, fair, and good quality in 7, 182, and 157 and 9, 190, and 147 cases, respectively. The difference of quality scores between both groups was not statistically significant. (Chi square test; p = 0.687).

The quality of images obtained from the scan using olive oil is similar to that using ultrasound gel. Therefore, the olive oil may be used as alternative sound media for ultrasound examination. Furthermore, it could possibly be a preferred media because of its lower cost, pleasant smell, and it facility of cleaning.