Comparative evaluation of honey, aloe vera, and olive oil as alternative ultrasound coupling agents for abdominal imaging

Omar, Linati Aina and Hashim, Ummi Farhana (2025) Comparative evaluation of honey, aloe vera, and olive oil as alternative ultrasound coupling agents for abdominal imaging. International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 9 (Supp 3). pp. 435-441. E-ISSN 2600-8491

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Abstract

Background: Ultrasound imaging requires an effective coupling medium to eliminate air between the transducer and the skin and ensure optimal sound transmission. Commercial ultrasound gel is widely used, but its limited availability in low-resource settings, potential for skin irritation, and risk of contamination highlight the need for accessible natural alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the image quality produced by aloe vera, honey, and olive oil in comparison with commercial ultrasound gel when imaging the liver, kidney, and aorta using a tissue-mimicking phantom. Methods: A comparative experimental design was used to assess four coupling agents: aloe vera, honey, olive oil, and commercial ultrasound gel. All materials were tested under identical imaging conditions using a Kyoto Kagaku ECHOZY Abdominal Set tissue-mimicking phantom and Siemens Acuson X150 system equipped with a 3.5–5 MHz curvilinear transducer. Images of the liver, kidney, and aorta were acquired at fixed ultrasound settings. Quantitative analysis was performed using ImageJ software to measure signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) based on standardised regions of interest. Qualitative image assessment was carried out through a virtual grading analysis (VGA) by three experienced sonographers who independently ranked image sharpness, noise, depth penetration, and overall quality. Results: Commercial ultrasound gel produced the highest image quality for the liver, with the highest SNR and CNR values. Aloe vera achieved the best performance for the kidney, producing higher quantitative values compared with the commercial gel. Olive oil demonstrated the highest CNR value for aortic imaging but showed moderate performance in other organs. Honey consistently produced the lowest SNR and CNR values across all organs, indicating limited suitability as a coupling medium. VGA findings aligned with quantitative outcomes, with aloe vera and olive oil performing comparably to commercial gel in selected organs. Conclusion: Aloe vera and olive oil demonstrated potential as practical alternatives to commercial ultrasound gel, particularly when standard gel is unavailable. Aloe vera showed the most consistent performance across imaging modalities, while honey was the least effective. These findings support further evaluation of natural products as accessible and cost-effective coupling media, particularly for use in low-resource or mobile ultrasound settings.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	SNR; CNR; Aloe vera; honey; olive oil
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences > Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy
Depositing User:	Dr Ummi Farhana Hashim
Date Deposited:	31 Dec 2025 09:45
Last Modified:	31 Dec 2025 09:45
Queue Number:	2025-12-Q1391
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/126540

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