Carrageenan Biopolymer for Medical Ultrasonography using Phantom CIRS

Abstract

The use of polymer as conductor in medical ultrasonography is very crucial to establish patient diagnosis and to prevent administration of improper treatment. Rapid development in science and technology encourages people to create more innovations that are readily usable. However, these innovations sometimes put health and environmental aspects aside that in turn become disadvantageous to health and may lead to environmental pollution. This research proposes the use of carrageenan biopolymer as a safe alternative for people’s health and the environment. It aims to prove differences in resulting phantom CIRS images taken with the help of carrageenan gel and standard gel based on Carbomer 940 as acoustic coupling agents (ACA) for ultrasonography (USG). It is an experimental research that uses true experiment technique with posttest only control group design. Results from T-test analysis show significance value of p>0.05, meaning there is no significant difference between the use of carrageenan gel and ACA gel (Carbomer 940). This result proves that carrageenan gel can be used as an acoustic coupling agent for ultrasonography. Results from imaging tests also reveal that there is no difference between the use of carrageenan gel and that of a manufacturer gel based on Carbomer 940 available in Indonesia, in terms of visualization of phantom CIRS images.

Keywords

• carrageenan
• acoustic coupling agent
• ultrasonography