Terminology
What term describes a structure that lacks internal echoes and appears black on an ultrasound?
Anechoic
What artifact appears as a dark streak below a dense object like a urolith?
Acoustic Shadowing
What does B Mode stand for?
Brightness Mode
What is the recommended fasting period before an abdominal ultrasound?
12 hours
What type of transducer is best for small animals and exotic pets?
Micro convex
What is the term for the brightness of tissues in an ultrasound image?
Echogenicity
What artifact appears as repeated back-and-forth echoes between two reflective surfaces?
Reverberation
Which mode is used to evaluate motion, such as heart rate?
M Mode
What substance is used to remove fat and oils from the skin before scanning?
Alcohol spray
What is the function of the gain control?
Adjusts image brightness.
What does "hyperechoic" mean?
Tissue reflects more intense sound waves and appears brighter.
Which artifact is associated with curved, fluid-filled structures and creates shadowing at their edges?
Edge Shadowing
Which mode identifies blood flow and measures velocity?
Doppler Mode
What is applied to the skin to enhance sound wave reflection?
Ultrasound gel
Which transducer is ideal for cardiac studies?
Phased Array
What term describes tissues with similar echogenicity?
Isoechoic
What is acoustic enhancement?
Increased brightness distal to a weakly attenuating structure, like fluid.
What does Color Doppler Mode show?
Blood flow direction (blue = away, red = toward the probe).
Why is shaving the scan area recommended?
It reduces interference from hair for better image clarity.
What does TGC control?
Brightness at various depths.
What is attenuation?
The loss of sound wave energy as it travels through tissue.
What artifact resembles the tail of a comet and occurs due to small reflective targets?
Comet Tail
What additional information does Power Doppler provide over Color Doppler?
Detects slower blood flow but does not indicate direction
What is the benefit of performing an ultrasound at peak expiration?
The abdomen is fully expanded, improving visibility.
Why should you avoid dropping a transducer?
The piezoelectric crystals inside are expensive to replace.