Terminology & Echogenicity

Question 1

acoustic Impedance

Answer 1

the resistance that a material offers to sound wave travel

Question 2

amplitude

Answer 2

the strength or height of a sound wave measured in decibels

Question 3

anechoic

Answer 3

the appearance of having no internal echoes

Syn: echolucent, sonolucent

Question 4

artifact

Answer 4

an echo feature present or absent that does not correspond to the presence or absence of a real structure

Common artifacts in breast imaging include enhancement and shadowing

Question 5

attenuation

Answer 5

the reduction of intensity and amplitude of a sound wave as it passes through a material. Is due to absorption, reflection, and scattering.

Question 6

complex

Answer 6

a structure that contains both solid and cystic components

Question 7

cystic

Answer 7

a fluid-filled structure

Question 8

echogenic

Answer 8

a structure or medium that produces echoes

Question 9

edge shadowing

Answer 9

decreased echo amplitude distal to the edge of a structure. Results from refraction of the sound beam

Question 10

enhancement

Answer 10

increased echo amplitude returning from regions lying beyond an object that causes little or no attenuation of the sound beam (typically a cystic structure). This artifact results in a breather than normal appearance.

Question 11

heterogeneous

Answer 11

a structure that has an uneven texture (hypoechoic and hyperechoic echoes throughout). May be used to describe a mass or tissue in general. Synonym: non-uniform

Question 12

homogeneous

Answer 12

a structure that has a smooth uniform texture may be used to describe a mass or tissue in general

Question 13

hyperechoic

Answer 13

a region where the echoes are brighter than normal or brighter than surrounding structures. Synonyms: echodense, sonodense, sonopaque

Question 14

hypoechoic

Answer 14

a region where the echoes are not as bright as normal or are less bright than surrounding structures

Question 15

ipsilateral

Answer 15

on the same side

Question 16

contralateral

Answer 16

on the opposite side

Question 17

isoechoic

Answer 17

having the same echogenicity as another structure or surrounding tissue

Question 18

noise

Answer 18

spurious echoes throughout the image. May cause echoes to be seen, especially in fluid

Question 19

real-time

Answer 19

the scanning and display of images at a sufficiently rapid rate so the moving structures can be seen to move at their natural rate. Frame rates of 15 frames per sec or greater are considered real-time. Allows the sonographer to perform dynamic techniques while scanning to better interrogate breast structures.

Question 20

🎗reverberation

Answer 20

a type of artifact causing linear echoes parallel to a strong interface; the sound is returned to the transducer than into the tissues repeatedly (bouncing effect).

Question 21

ring down

Answer 21

a particular type of reverberation artifact in which numerous parallel echoes are seen for a considerable distance

Question 22

sensitivity

Answer 22

the ability to diagnose disease in a patient when disease is present

Question 23

shadowing

Answer 23

a reduction in echo amplitudes distal to a strongly attenuating or reflecting structure (usually dense and solid) Results in a less bright than normal appearance.

Question 24

solid

Answer 24

any structure in the body that produces echoes

Question 25

sonodense

Answer 25

hyperechoic

Question 26

sonolucent

Answer 26

result of unattenuated sound beam passing through a fluid-filled structure. Synonym: anechoic, echolucent

Question 27

superficial

Answer 27

toward the body surface

Question 28

deep

Answer 28

away from the surface, internal

Question 29

texture

Answer 29

pattern of echoes seen from a mass or area of interest

Question 30

echogenicity of fat

Answer 30

mid-level gray

Question 31

echogenicity of fibroglandular tissue

Answer 31

moderately to markedly hyperechoic

Question 32

echogenicity of a rib shadow

Answer 32

markedly hypoechoic/anechoic

Question 33

echogenicity of a cooper’s ligament

Answer 33

markedly hyperechoic

Question 34

echogenicity of skin

Answer 34

moderately hyperechoic