{"title":"Rational design of alternative natural-based coupling media for diagnostic ultrasound imaging: a review.","authors":"Dennis Nimoh, Isaac Acquah, Elizabeth Wordui","doi":"10.1088/2057-1976/add7e2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ultrasound imaging is an indispensable diagnostic and screening tool in healthcare, renowned for its non-invasive nature, real-time visualization, and use of non-ionizing radiation. It plays a vital role in obstetrics and gynaecology by significantly reducing maternal mortality and enhancing patient care. In addition to its use in obstetrics, ultrasound is used to guide biopsies and to evaluate various diseases such as liver cirrhosis, thyroid disorders, and kidney stones. Point-of-care ultrasonography has proven to be increasingly beneficial in low-resource settings. However, the availability and cost of commercial ultrasound gels pose significant challenges. Alternative natural-based gels formulated from locally sourced materials have emerged as viable substitutes. This review critically examines alternative natural-based ultrasound gels, focusing on their physicochemical properties, formulation procedures, and the limitations associated with their use in diagnostic imaging. Furthermore, it presents a rational design approach that methodically selects the ingredients based on their properties and interactions to formulate these gels for imaging applications. This offers a promising pathway for indigenous manufacturers to develop gels that meet ideal performance criteria, ensuring better imaging outcomes and wider acceptability in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":8896,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1088/2057-1976/add7e2","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging is an indispensable diagnostic and screening tool in healthcare, renowned for its non-invasive nature, real-time visualization, and use of non-ionizing radiation. It plays a vital role in obstetrics and gynaecology by significantly reducing maternal mortality and enhancing patient care. In addition to its use in obstetrics, ultrasound is used to guide biopsies and to evaluate various diseases such as liver cirrhosis, thyroid disorders, and kidney stones. Point-of-care ultrasonography has proven to be increasingly beneficial in low-resource settings. However, the availability and cost of commercial ultrasound gels pose significant challenges. Alternative natural-based gels formulated from locally sourced materials have emerged as viable substitutes. This review critically examines alternative natural-based ultrasound gels, focusing on their physicochemical properties, formulation procedures, and the limitations associated with their use in diagnostic imaging. Furthermore, it presents a rational design approach that methodically selects the ingredients based on their properties and interactions to formulate these gels for imaging applications. This offers a promising pathway for indigenous manufacturers to develop gels that meet ideal performance criteria, ensuring better imaging outcomes and wider acceptability in clinical practice.
期刊介绍:
BPEX is an inclusive, international, multidisciplinary journal devoted to publishing new research on any application of physics and/or engineering in medicine and/or biology. Characterized by a broad geographical coverage and a fast-track peer-review process, relevant topics include all aspects of biophysics, medical physics and biomedical engineering. Papers that are almost entirely clinical or biological in their focus are not suitable. The journal has an emphasis on publishing interdisciplinary work and bringing research fields together, encompassing experimental, theoretical and computational work.