It is important to always ask yourself whether the image you are looking at is real or not.
This occurs when ultrasound waves travel close to a curved, smooth-walled structure and deflected from original path.
This appear as a shadow-like image that seems to project from the edges of the curved structure.
When ultrasound meet the structure that block their path (high resistance) everything behind that structure appear black on screen which can mimic free fluid
When ultrasound waves travel through structure with low resistance the tissue at the far side of the structure appears brighter than the tissue beside it.
This is the effect of excess energy that can travel through the structure with low resistance. Usually occur in gallbladder scanning.
Ultrasound waves reflect back multiple times when hitting reflective surface.
Look like duplicated images of these surfaces, usually appear as multiple horizontal white lines
Also called "Ring Down" artifact.
Helpful for identifying needle when performing procedure.
Can mimic blood or tissue when looking through the lens into the eyes.
Occurring with highly reflective surface, i.e. foreign bodies or pleura.
Help identifying foreign bodies.
For pleura (visceral and parietal)
Can be used for ruling out pneumothorax.
Come and go and change their angle of descent with respirations.
Start at the surface and project down to the bottom of the screen as a straight line.
Can be echogenic or echolucent.
Can be used for ruling out pneumothorax.
Come and go and change their angle of descent with respirations.
Occurring with highly reflective surface.
Look like a duplication of near-field structures on the far-field side of the surface.
Most commonly appear at RUQ; a mirror image of liver can be seen at the far field or cephalic to the diaphragm.
Ligaments, tendons and nerves will have echogenic appearance only when the ultrasound beams strike them at 90 degree angle.
They will appear echo lucent when the ultrasound strike them at other angles.
Tendons and fibres can can change direction when they traverse, i.e. at insertion site on the bone. This can also causes echolucent and mimic fluid collection or tear. Sweeping or heeling the probe will help confirming whether it is a real pathology or anisotropy.
The ultrasound probe sends out weaker waves to both sides of the main beams.
If theses weaker waves hit highly reflective surface it will return to the centre of the probe and will be interpreted as coming form the centre axis.
When the area of the main path appear hypoechoic these side object reflection will be superimposed upon it.
Commonly occurring with heart scanning. Image of adjacent tissue will be superimposed upon the image of fluid-filled chambers.
Ultrasound: physics and knobology
Ultrasound: Signs
Ultrasound: Probe selection
Nerve Block: Median
Ultrasound: Probe orientation
Ultrasound: Tendons
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