Novel technique for ultrasound-guided needle tracking: An inexpensive reusable phantom model utilising a closed...

Purpose:There are a variety of commercially made ultrasound training phantoms available for educational purposes. A new concept in phantoms is presented that utilises a low-cost method to create a reusable phantom.

A closed electric circuit was combined with insulating material to create a novel phantom that can be used to practise needle tracking under ultrasound guidance on repeated occasions. A tricolour light-emitting diode (LED) illuminates when the needle (under ultrasound gudiance) contacts one of three metal objects embedded in the phatom material.

This prototype model provides a simple solution for trianing ultrasound needle guidance is particularly geared towards programmes with a high volume of users. This protoype provides a starting point for a new concept in educational phantom trainers.