title: Homemade ultrasound phantom for teaching identification of superficial soft tissue abscess.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is often used to distinguish abscess from cellulitis in superficial soft tissue infections. With the increased use of POCUS in emergency medicine, it is important that training to use POCUS is enhanced by practice using phantom models.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To create an easily made, inexpensive, homemade phantom capable of simulating an abscess in superficial soft tissue infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Increasing amounts of Jell-O (Northfield, Illinois, USA) brand gelatin and sugar-free Metamucil (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) brand psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid fibre were experimented with until a satisfactory model was achieved. Various liquids were injected into it to simulate superficial abscess formation. The desired goal was for the phantom to appear similar to superficial human soft tissue under ultrasound scan and to be firm enough to withstand pressure from an ultrasound probe scan. The goal for the simulated abscess was to appear as a hypoechoic space under ultrasound scan. A Sonosite M-Turbo (Bothell, Washington, USA) bedside ultrasound machine with linear array transducer probe was used for the ultrasound scans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The optimal homemade phantom incorporated 12 tablespoons of Jell-O and four tablespoons of Metamucil in one liter of water.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An easily made, inexpensive phantom model for instruction on identification of superficial skin abscess was achieved.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle M/S B-5520, Washington, USA. mark.lo@seattlechildrens.org
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: S Heath
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ackley
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Solari
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation