[Gastric phantom for training beginners in gastric segment (Stomap) recognition].

It is usually difficult for a beginner to understand precisely and quickly the three-dimensional (3D) construction of gastric lesions in a gastric X-ray examination with barium meal. In this study, a training-use stomach phantom was developed using the stomach segment to provide beginners with an understanding of 3D stomach construction. The hook-shaped phantom (the shape of the stomach when a patient is in the supine position) was formed by using styrene, wire, and clay. It was then coated with dental stiffening agent, and wires were attached along the stomach segment. After drying, the stomach phantom was cut off and the oil clay was removed. The phantom then was immersed in water and the oil clay was dried. After that, the phantom again was glued together with a dental stiffening agent. The usefulness of the phantom was determined by an evaluation experiment. Ten students, as observers, were selected randomly for evaluation from 40 students of the Department of Radiological Technology, College of Medical Technology, Hokkaido University. Eight films were shown to the observers, 4 films with segment and 4 films without segment. The observers checked 5 markers in different positions of the phantom and recorded the results on an answer sheet with segment picture. The significance of position recognition was identified by Wilcoxon's sign rank sum test (p=0.021) between the segment film and non-segment film.