Modular eFAST tissue phantom for AI-based ultrasound triage

Ultrasound (US) imaging is the primary choice for diagnosing and triaging patients in the battlefield as well as emergency medicine due to ease of portability and low-power requirements. Interpretation and acquisition of ultrasound images can be challenging and requires personnel with specialized training. Incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance the imaging process while improving diagnostic accuracy. To accomplish this goal, we have developed a full torso tissue-mimicking phantom for simulating US image capture at each site of the extended-focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) exam and is suitable for developing AI guidance and classification models. The US images taken from the phantom were used to train AI models for detection of specific anatomical features and injury state diagnosis. The tissue-mimicking phantom successfully simulated full thoracic motion as well as modular injuries at each scan site. AI models trained from the tissue phantom were able to achieve IOU's greater than 0.80 and accuracy of 71.5% on blind inferences. In summary, the tissue mimicking phantom is a reliable tool for acquiring eFAST images for training AI models. Furthermore, the tissue phantom could be implemented for training personnel on ultrasound examination techniques as well as developing image acquisition automation techniques.