Abstract
Background: M-mode ultrasound is frequently used to measure a fetal heart rate. Phantoms are used to simulate clinical conditions for teaching ultrasound-related skills. This is particularly important in the case of early pregnancy, when it is not ethical to use a live fetus in utero for teaching purposes. Objectives: To date, no phantom has been created to model the beating heart of an intrauterine pregnancy. Our goal was to create such a model for use in teaching M-mode ultrasound. Materials and Methods: The phantom is constructed using a toy fish, several balloons, and water-absorbing gel crystals. Results: We have created a novel phantom for use in teaching M-mode measurements. The cost per phantom is around $20 and the phantom can be constructed in about 20 min. Conclusion: This phantom is easily constructed and cost-effective. It gives learners the opportunity to practice measuring an intrauterine fetal heart rate in a learning environment without exposing a live fetus to unnecessary ultrasound.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 744-748 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of Emergency Medicine |
Volume | 61 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- M-mode
- education
- fetal heart rate
- phantom
- simulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine