Do-It-Yourself Ultrasound Gel: Accessible and Cost-Effective Alternatives to Commercial Ultrasound Gels in Resource-Limited Settings
ePoster
Authors: Ee Tay, NYU Langone Allison Graebner, NYU/Bellevue Michael Dicpinigaitis, Cornell University
Did you know that YOU can make ultrasound gels at home that work just as well as the real deal? DIY ultrasound gels are cheap, easy to make, convenient, and important to discuss in the ultrasound community as commercial gels may not be accessible everywhere, especially in low-resource or rural medical environments across the world. Unique types of plants, roots, and powders native to different regions of the world can be used as natural thickeners and combined with water, and sometimes heat, to make alternative gels. Further, despite variations in DIY gel characteristics such as composition, texture, viscosity, etc., there is no significant difference in the ultrasound imaging quality of DIY versus commercial gels. Come learn more about what makes an ultrasound gel an ultrasound gel, the pros and cons of different natural ingredients in gel-making, and why these gels can be so crucial to global and public health!