Bookmarks
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
- Artifact: Physical, electronic, or technical phenomenon → abnormal echogenicity or shadowing on US
- Dynamic range: Range of highest and lowest amplitudes that can be displayed, in decibels (dB)
- Typically 55-60 dB optimal for breast imaging
- Time gain compensation (TGC): Adjust image brightness at all depths from skin
- Compensates for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Manual or automatic adjustment
- Gain should ↑ with ↑ depth to compensate for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Compensates for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Spatial compounding: Use of multiple off-angle beams (or splitting beam to insonate only one part of image at a time) to create image
- Averages signal from multiple beams: Noise cancels out
- ↓ specular reflection, reverberation artifacts
- ↑ detail in masses and lateral/posterior margins
- ↓ posterior enhancement and shadowing
- Harmonic imaging: Insonate tissue with one frequency (e.g., ~ 10-12 MHz) and receive at multiple of that frequency (e.g., 20-24 MHz)
- ↓ reverberation artifacts and internal echoes in cysts
- ↑ soft tissue contrast and lateral resolution: ↑ conspicuity of isoechoic masses surrounded by fat lobules
- Improved lateral resolution
- Posterior features retained
- Less effective beyond ~ 2-cm depth
IMAGING
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
- Bönhof JA: Ultrasound artifacts - Part 1. Ultraschall Med. 37(2):140-53; quiz 154-5, 2016
- Hooley RJ et al: Breast ultrasonography: state of the art. Radiology. 268(3):642-59, 2013
- Feldman MK et al: US artifacts. Radiographics. 29(4):1179-89, 2009
- Cha JH et al: Differentiation of benign from malignant solid breast masses: conventional US versus spatial compound imaging. Radiology. 237(3):841-6, 2005
- Szopinski KT et al: Tissue harmonic imaging: utility in breast sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 22(5):479-87; quiz 488- 9, 2003
- Rosen EL et al: Tissue harmonic imaging sonography of breast lesions: improved margin analysis, conspicuity, and image quality compared to conventional ultrasound. Clin Imaging. 25(6):379-84, 2001
- Lopez H et al: Ultrasound interactions with free silicone in a tissue-mimicking phantom. J Ultrasound Med. 17(3):163-70, 1998
- Kremkau FW et al: Artifacts in ultrasound imaging. J Ultrasound Med. 5(4):227-37, 1986
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
- Artifact: Physical, electronic, or technical phenomenon → abnormal echogenicity or shadowing on US
- Dynamic range: Range of highest and lowest amplitudes that can be displayed, in decibels (dB)
- Typically 55-60 dB optimal for breast imaging
- Time gain compensation (TGC): Adjust image brightness at all depths from skin
- Compensates for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Manual or automatic adjustment
- Gain should ↑ with ↑ depth to compensate for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Compensates for sound absorption in deeper tissue
- Spatial compounding: Use of multiple off-angle beams (or splitting beam to insonate only one part of image at a time) to create image
- Averages signal from multiple beams: Noise cancels out
- ↓ specular reflection, reverberation artifacts
- ↑ detail in masses and lateral/posterior margins
- ↓ posterior enhancement and shadowing
- Harmonic imaging: Insonate tissue with one frequency (e.g., ~ 10-12 MHz) and receive at multiple of that frequency (e.g., 20-24 MHz)
- ↓ reverberation artifacts and internal echoes in cysts
- ↑ soft tissue contrast and lateral resolution: ↑ conspicuity of isoechoic masses surrounded by fat lobules
- Improved lateral resolution
- Posterior features retained
- Less effective beyond ~ 2-cm depth
IMAGING
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
- Bönhof JA: Ultrasound artifacts - Part 1. Ultraschall Med. 37(2):140-53; quiz 154-5, 2016
- Hooley RJ et al: Breast ultrasonography: state of the art. Radiology. 268(3):642-59, 2013
- Feldman MK et al: US artifacts. Radiographics. 29(4):1179-89, 2009
- Cha JH et al: Differentiation of benign from malignant solid breast masses: conventional US versus spatial compound imaging. Radiology. 237(3):841-6, 2005
- Szopinski KT et al: Tissue harmonic imaging: utility in breast sonography. J Ultrasound Med. 22(5):479-87; quiz 488- 9, 2003
- Rosen EL et al: Tissue harmonic imaging sonography of breast lesions: improved margin analysis, conspicuity, and image quality compared to conventional ultrasound. Clin Imaging. 25(6):379-84, 2001
- Lopez H et al: Ultrasound interactions with free silicone in a tissue-mimicking phantom. J Ultrasound Med. 17(3):163-70, 1998
- Kremkau FW et al: Artifacts in ultrasound imaging. J Ultrasound Med. 5(4):227-37, 1986
