February 2025

EURO-MUSCULUS/USPRM phantom recipe for (musculoskeletal) interventional ultrasound training.

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Jakub Jačisko

Authors: Gregorio Salce, Jakub Jačisko, Vincenzo Ricci, Kamal Mezian, and Levent Özçakar.

Journal: European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.

Published: February 2025

This article focuses on ultrasound-guided intervention training rather than diagnosis. It shows how low-cost gelatin-based and bio-anatomical phantoms can be used to practice core MSK ultrasound skills such as needle visualization, probe-needle alignment, hand-eye coordination, injection, aspiration, and hydrodissection. Its practical value is that it offers a realistic and accessible way to train before performing procedures on patients.

Interesting highlights:

  • The paper provides a ready-to-use recipe for basic and advanced phantoms made from gelatin, food coloring, psyllium, plastic models, and animal tissues.

  • The training models are designed to improve key procedural skills such as in-plane/out-of-plane needle tracking, aspiration, injection, and target identification.

  • Advanced phantoms can simulate real procedures such as facet joint injection, glenohumeral distension, and Achilles paratenon hydrodissection, making training more procedure-specific.

Who is this article most useful for?
MSK ultrasound beginners, residents, physiatrists, radiologists, and clinicians learning or teaching ultrasound-guided procedures.