Heterogeneous is a descriptive term used in ultrasound to characterize tissue or a mass that has a varied, non-uniform echotexture with areas of different echogenicity mixed together. The opposite of heterogeneous is homogeneous, meaning uniform throughout. A heterogeneous appearance can be seen in many pathological conditions: a hemorrhagic cyst may contain areas of clot and fluid, a fibroid may show a mixture of bright and dark areas reflecting its complex tissue composition, and a malignant tumor may appear heterogeneous due to necrosis, hemorrhage, and varying tissue density. Documenting whether a finding is homogeneous or heterogeneous is a standard part of ultrasound reporting.
Sonography Term