Medical Ultrasound Technology Glossary

This glossary contains 20 terms based on the filed of study of the Medical Ultrasound Technology. The glossary helps people that are interested in this field of study by explaining the most important terms of the Medical Ultrasound Technology with detailed explanations.

Ultrasound: noun; A procedure that uses high-energy sound waves to look at tissues and organs inside the body. The sound waves make echoes that form pictures of the tissues and organs on a computer screen (sonogram).; Example: To see if you have any pathology, we will use ultrasound to produce image of your tissues and organs.; fr: Ultrason
Ultrasound probe: noun; A device that produces sound waves that bounce off body tissues and make echoes. The transducer also receives the echoes and sends them to a computer that uses them to create an image called sonogram.; Example: I use an ultrasound probe to produce an image called sonogram.; fr: Sonde à ultrasons
Obstetrical: adjective; Anything related to childbirth, pregnancy or babies. The obstetrical field is one of the most studied fields in the Medical Ultrasound Technology.; Example: We talk about 'obstetrical' when we are producing fetus images.; fr: Obstétrique
Abdominal: adjective; Anything related to the abdomen. In ultrasounds, we mostly use abdominal protocol to examine the muscles and the organs.; Example: The technician will do an abdominal exam, and we will be able to see some images of the liver.; fr: Abdominale
Pelvic: Adjective; Anything related to the pelvic area of the body. In ultrasounds, we will mostly use pelvic protocol to examine the pelvic organs such as the bladder, the uterus, the ovaries, etc.; Example: To measure the woman ovaries, I will make a pelvic exam.; fr: Pelvien
Cardiac: Adjective; A noninvasive test that uses ultrasound to visualize cardiac structures. The heart's chambers, ejection fraction, valves, and wall motion can be evaluated, and intracardiac masses or clots can often be seen.; Example: I will do a cardiac ultrasound exam to visualize the hearth.; fr: Cardiaque
Vascular: Adjective; A noninvasive and remarkably versatile procedure used to examine the circulation in the blood vessels of the body. It can also evaluate arteries or veins in nearly any part of the body.; Example: I will do a vascular ultrasound exam to visualize the abdominal aorta.; fr: Vasculaire
Echogenicity: noun; Echogenicity of the tissue refers to the ability to reflect or transmit US waves in the context of surrounding tissues.Whenever there is an interface of structures with different echogenicities, a visible difference in contrast will be apparent on the screen.; Example: The echogenicity depends on the person.; fr: Échogénicité
Musculoskeletal: Adjective; A specialized exam that looks specifically at your muscles and joints. MSK ultrasound technologists have special training in looking at muscles, some ligaments, nerves, and tendons. A radiologist will interpret these images to determine if they are normal or not.; Example: I will do a musculoskeletal exam to visualize the leg ligaments.; fr: Musculo-squelettique
Hyperechoic: adjective; This term means "lots of echoes." These areas bounce back many sound waves. They appear as light gray on the ultrasound.; Example: This person is hyperechoic.; fr: Hyperéchogène
Hypoechoic: Adjective; In ultrasonography, giving off few echoes; said of tissues or structures that reflect relatively few of the ultrasound waves directed at them.; Example: This person is hypoechoic.; fr: Hypoéchogène
Anechoic: Adjective; Structures appear black, meaning no internal echoes.; Example: This cyst is anechoic; fr: Anéchogène
Biopsy: noun; An ultrasound-guided biopsy uses sound waves to help locate a lump or abnormality and remove a tissue sample for examination under a microscope. It is less invasive than surgical biopsy, leaves little to no scarring and does not involve exposure to ionizing radiation.; Example: I will use ultrasound to guide the doctor during the breast biopsy.; fr: Biopsie
Doppler: noun; A Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive test that can be used to estimate the blood flow through your blood vessels by bouncing high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) off circulating red blood cells. A regular ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images, but can't show blood flow.; Example: I will use the color Doppler to visualize the blood flow.; fr: Doppler
Sonography: noun; A diagnostic medical procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to produce dynamic visual images of organs, tissues or blood flow inside the body. This type of procedure is often referred to as a sonogram or ultrasound exam.; Example: We use sonography to visualize the organs of the body with ultrasounds.; fr: Échographie
Acoustic gel: noun; Ultrasound gel is a conductive medium that creates a bond between the skin and the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound sound waves have a hard time traveling through air, so the gel prevents any extra air space between the probe and your skin in order to create a clear image of the body.; Example: I always use acoustic gel before an ultrasound exam.; fr: Gel acoustique
Ultrasound machine: noun; An ultrasound machine makes images so that organs inside the body can be examined. The machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which reflect off body structures. A computer receives the waves and uses them to create a picture.; Example: We use an ultrasound machine to create the mages.; fr: Échographe
Hospital stretcher: noun; Mobile stretchers are used to transport a patient safely and expediently within a healthcare facility. In sonography, it is used as a bed were the patient sit or lie down next to the ultrasound machine.; Example: The patient lie down on the hospital stretcher before starting the ultrasound exam.; fr: Civière d'hôpital
Ultrasound artifacts: noun; Artifacts are any alterations in the image which do not represent an actual image of the examined area. They may be produced by technical imaging errors or result from the complex interaction of the ultrasound with biological tissues.; Example: Many ultrasound artifacts are in the image, we can't see the organs well-enough.; fr: Artéfacts échographiques
Ultrasound contrast agents: noun; A contrast agent (or contrast medium) is a substance used to increase the contrast of structures or fluids within the body in medical imaging. Contrast agents absorb or alter external electromagnetism or ultrasound.; Example: Since we can't see the liver well-enough, we will give the patient come contrast agents.; fr: Agents de contraste