Sonographic Imaging Terms

Vocabulary flashcards defining core sonographic imaging terms, tissue characterizations, acoustic phenomena, and display formats from the lecture.

Echo

An acoustic signal received from scattering elements or a specular reflector.

Interface

The surface where two tissues with a difference in velocity (speed of sound) and density come in contact with each other.

Reflection

The change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated.

Transducer

Any device that converts one form of energy into another.

Real-Time

Ultrasound instrumentation that allows the image to be displayed many times per second (e.g., 64 frames per second) to observe motion patterns.

Echogenic

Tissue that produces echoes and reflects sound with a brighter intensity; opposite of anechoic.

Hyperechoic

Producing echoes of higher amplitude and/or density than normal for the surrounding medium.

Isoechoic

Having the same echogenicity as adjacent tissue.

Hypoechoic

Producing echoes of lower amplitude and/or density than normal for the surrounding medium, appearing as low-level echoes within a structure.

Anechoic (Sonolucent / Transonic)

Describing a fluid-filled structure that is without internal echoes and transmits sound easily.

Texture

The echo pattern within an organ, which can be fine, medium, or coarse, and described as homogeneous or irregular.

Irregular Borders

Borders of a structure that are ill-defined, not well defined, or not present.

Diffuse

Having no borders, distributed throughout, and not concentrated or localized.

Homogeneous

Completely uniform in texture or composition, showing even amplitude of echoes and even texture throughout an organ or structure.

Heterogeneous (Inhomogeneous / Nonhomogeneous)

Not uniform in texture or composition, displaying uneven echo amplitudes and uneven texture throughout an organ.

Infiltrating

Refers to a diffuse disease process.

Cyst

A spherical, fluid-filled structure with a well-defined wall, containing few or no internal echoes, and exhibiting good acoustic enhancement.

Cystic

Having well-defined borders, fluid-filled with no echoes within (appears black), and exhibiting increased through-transmission; describes structures with internal characteristics similar to a cyst.

Solid

A mass or organ containing uniform low-level echoes, which may exhibit irregular borders, internal echoes, and decreased through-transmission.

Complex Structure

A structure composed of solid, fluid, fibrous, or fat substances, producing a mixture of echoes from within.

Loculated Mass

A mass with well-defined borders containing internal echoes and septa that may be thick or thin.

Focus

A single area or structure within a cystic structure or within a solid organ.

Foci

The plural form of focus, meaning more than one focus.

Ultrasound Window

Using part of the existing anatomy to see through to another part of the anatomy.

Artifact

An apparent echo for which distance, direction, or amplitude does not correspond to a real interface.

Shadowing

The failure of the sound beam to pass through an object due to reflection or absorption, resulting in no transmission of sound distal to the object.

Attenuation

The reduction in amplitude and intensity of a sound wave as it propagates through a medium, caused by absorption, scattering, and reflection.

Enhancement

An increased amplitude and brightness of echoes directly beyond the posterior border of an anechoic (fluid-filled) structure due to unattenuated sound.

Display Format

The manner in which information is presented to the sonographer, including A-mode, B-mode, Real-time, Color Doppler, and Spectral Doppler.

Scan

The moving of an acoustic beam to produce an image; used as a verb to perform an ultrasound examination or as a noun for the sonographic examination itself.

Noise

Artifactual echoes resulting from excessive gain rather than true anatomic structures, or unwanted signals that detract from other signals.

Sonogenic

A term describing a handsome ultrasound image.