Novel Rice Gel for Ultrasound Applications: Physical and Chemical Properties

Abstract

Background: Ultrasound gel is a medical device that belongs to the category of consumables, which included in charge of radiological diagnosis and treatment such as X-ray, CT scan, ultrasonography, MRI, radionuclide scan and various radiotherapy, etc. This material is a pharmaceutical product, which produced in a gel state and obtained from synthesized for medical or veterinary. For example, physical examination acts a coupling agent between the body and the medical device. This gel is a product that must be imported from abroad at the level of billions of baht every year. 

Objective: This research fabricated medical ultrasound gel within the country. The main raw material was being Thai rice to solve the problem of importing ultrasound gel from abroad. 

Materials and Method: Novel rice gels containing different compositions of rice starch (RS) powder and additives. The formulations of gels were composed of RS powder, liquid glycerol, and additives by solution method. Five solutions with different concentration of RS powder (0.5 g, 1 g, 1.5 g, 2 g and 2.5 g) were prepared by solution method. These solutions were dried in electric oven at 65OC for 4 hours. The physical and chemical properties of rice gel characterized by turbidity, viscosity, smell, irritation, pH and moisture content of these gels have monitored. 

Results: Results showed that 2 g of RS powder is optimized formulation which had turbidity, high viscosity, pleasant smell, non-irritating and easy to clean. The pH value of this gel was 6.92 ± 0.01, and the moisture content was 0.21 ± 0.07 %, which similar to commercial standard of ultrasound gel (UG). 

Conclusion: These results concluded that the application of RS in gel ultrasound was safe and effective for replacement commercial gel ultrasound. This gel should be studied on image quality in ultrasound examination for next step.