Echogenicity

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Obstetric ultrasonography of twins at a gestational age of almost 9 weeks. The mother’s and the twins’ bodies have a higher echogenicity than the amniotic fluid around them. The standard representation is brighter color for higher echogenicity, giving the almost anechoic fluid an almost black appearance.

Echogenicity (misspelled sometimes as echogenecity) or echogeneity is the ability to bounce an echo, e.g. return the signal in

medical ultrasonography. In contrast, tissues with lower echogenicity are called "hypoechogenic" and are usually represented with darker colors. Areas that lack echogenicity are called "anechogenic" and are usually displayed as completely dark.[1]

Microbubbles

Echogenicity can be increased by intravenously administering gas-filled microbubble contrast agent to the systemic circulation, with the procedure being called

perfluorocarbon, or nitrogen.[2]
Heavy gases are less water-soluble so they are less likely to leak out from the microbubble to impair echogenicity (McCulloch et al., 2000). Therefore, microbubbles with heavy gas cores are likely to last longer in circulation.

Reasons for higher echogenicity

During ultrasound examinations, sometimes echogenicity is higher in certain parts of body.

Fatty liver could cause increased echogenicity in the liver, especially if the liver transaminases are elevated.[3]

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may also show an increase in stromal echogenicity.

See also

References

  1. PMID 21472065
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  2. S2CID 29807146
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  3. PMID 12236486
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