Hyperemia is an increase in blood flow to a specific tissue or organ, usually occurring as part of the inflammatory response. On color Doppler ultrasound, hyperemia appears as an increased number and intensity of color flow signals within or around the affected structure. Hyperemia is an important finding in many conditions: increased blood flow around an inflamed appendix supports the diagnosis of appendicitis, hyperemia in the synovium of a joint suggests active inflammatory arthritis, and increased flow around an infected tendon or bursa indicates inflammation. Power Doppler is particularly sensitive for detecting subtle hyperemia and is commonly used in musculoskeletal ultrasound to assess inflammatory activity.
Sonography Term