Anechoic
- Without echoes
- Dark on the image
- Produces through transmission
*This term in descriptive
Examples
- Urinary bladder
- Simple Renal Cyst
- Gallbladder
Homogeneous
- Of uniform composition
- Smooth structure with consistent
echogenicity
*This is a descriptive term
Example
Heterogeneous
- Of differing composition
- Patchy structure with inconsistent
echogenicities
* This is a descriptive term
Example
- To define all descriptive sonographic terms with an accompanying image
- To determine if the term is descriptive, comparative or both
- To give an example of structures with respective terms
Objective
Isoechoic
- Having the same echogenicity
- Matches surrounding tissue
* This is a comparative term
Example
Shadowing
Hyperechoic
- Failure of the sound beam to pass
through an object
*This term is descriptive
- Having many echoes
- Bright or gray on image
- May produce posterior shadowing
*This term is comparative
Example
gallstone, rib, kidney
stone
- Introduction to Sonography and Patient Care Steven Penny - Wolters Kluwer - 2016
- Sonographic Photo Credit: Katlynne Jakubowski, RDMS
- Sonographic Photo Credit: Alexis Torres, RDMS
Complex (mass)
Example
- Having mixed echogenicities
- A structure that has both fluid and solid components
* This is a comparative term
Ecogenic
- Solid, bright tumor
- Hepatic hemangioma
- Aged blood clot in a vessel
Example
- Ovarian cysts
- Hepatic cysts
- Structure that produces echos
- Bright or gray on the image
*This term is both Comparative and Descriptive
Example
- Diffusely bright (echogenic liver)
- Pancreas is more echogenic
than the liver
synonymously with hyperechoic
Acoustic Enhancment
- The amount of sound beam passing
through a structure
* This term is descriptive
Example
fluid-fullied structures
blood vessels
Hypoechoic
- Having few echoes
- Dark on image but not black
*This term is comparative
Sonographic Descriptive Terminology
Examples
- Fresh blood clot in vessel
- Solid, dark tumors