Archives: Glossary

A real-time display on ultrasound machines estimating the potential for tissue heating from the ultrasound beam.

As Low As Reasonably Achievable — the guiding principle of ultrasound safety, directing sonographers to use the minimum acoustic output needed for diagnosis.

The biological effects of ultrasound energy on tissue, including thermal and mechanical (cavitation) effects monitored by the TI and MI indices.

The foundational knowledge domain covering ultrasound physics, image formation, Doppler principles, artifacts, bioeffects, and quality assurance — tested on the ARDMS SPI exam.

Systematic evaluation of the shape, velocity, and pulsatility of spectral Doppler waveforms to characterize normal and abnormal flow patterns.

Doppler ultrasound of the intracranial arteries performed through the temporal bone window, used to detect stenosis, emboli, and vasospasm.

A standard echocardiographic view showing the left ventricle, mitral valve, aortic valve, and aortic root in a long-axis plane.

A standard echocardiographic view obtained at the cardiac apex showing all four cardiac chambers simultaneously.

An ultrasound imaging plane obtained by placing the transducer below the ribcage, used in echocardiography and FAST exams.

A region of the body that allows unobstructed passage of ultrasound waves to the structure being imaged.