Sono+Term

Sonographic Terminology

Ultrasound Terminology

• Anechoic / Echogenic / Hypoechoic / Isoechoic

• Enhancement

• Fluid-filled Level

• Heterogeneous or Homogeneous

• Infiltrating / Loculated / Irregular

• Shadowing

Anechoic or Sonolucent

• Definition: Structures that are anechoic (without internal echoes) are typically completely dark (black) , fluid-filled and transmit sound waves easily.

• Examples:

  • Vascular structures

  • Distended urinary bladder

  • Gallbladder

  • Amniotic cavity

  • Cysts

Echogenic and Hyperechoic

• Echogenic: Opposite of anechoic; refers to echo-producing structures that reflect sound with a brighter intensity.

• Hyperechoic: Even brighter than echogenic.

• Examples:

  • Gallstones

  • Renal stones

  • Bone

  • Fat

  • Diaphragm

Enhancement

• Definition: Refers to an area that appears brighter on an ultrasound image because sound waves pass through it easily, and makes the tissue behind it more visible

• Common Occurrences: Seen posterior to cysts, gallbladder, and urinary bladder.

Fluid-fluid Level

• Definition: Interface between two fluids with differing acoustic characteristics; can change depending on patient positioning.

• Use in Diagnosis: Commonly observed in dermoid tumors.

Heterogeneous

• Definition: Describes a structure that is not uniform in texture or composition.

• Examples: It is often noted in tumors exhibiting characteristics of both decreased and increased echogenicity.

Homogeneous

• Definition: Opposite of heterogeneous; characterized by uniform texture and composition.

• Commonly Homogeneous Structures: Liver, thyroid, testes, myometrium.

Hypoechoic

• Definition: Refers to structures or tissues that appear darker than surrounding areas on an ultrasound because it reflects fewer sound waves

• Examples: Lymph nodes, fibroids in the uterus, liver, spleen, cortex of the kidney.

Infiltrating

• Definition: Means that an abnormal tissue or substance is spreading into or invading surrounding areas

• Examples: Carcinoid or sarcoid infiltration.

Irregular Borders

• Definition: Borders that are not well defined, ill-defined, or absent, often indicating potential pathology.

• Examples: Abscess, thrombus, and metastatic lesions.

Isoechoic

• Definition: means that a tissue or structure appears the same shade of gray as the surrounding tissue on an ultrasound because it reflects a similar amount of sound waves

Loculated Mass

• Definition: A mass with well-defined borders containing internal echoes; It’s a collection of fluid or tissue that is divided into separate compartments by thin walls or barriers

Shadowing

• Definition: means that an area appears dark or black behind a structure because the sound waves can’t pass through it

• Examples of Shadowing Causes:

  • Gallstones: typically create sharply defined shadows.

  • Air bubbles: can produce a “dirty shadow.”