Ultrasound Glossary

A congenital condition in which the duodenum is completely blocked, diagnosed prenatally by the double bubble sign on ultrasound.

The first and shortest segment of the small intestine, connecting the stomach to the jejunum, and an important structure in abdominal ultrasound.

A congenital variant in which a kidney has two separate collecting systems, each with its own ureter, detectable on ultrasound.

An ultrasound examination that combines B-mode imaging with Doppler flow analysis to evaluate both the structure and blood flow of vessels simultaneously.

The combination of anatomical imaging and Doppler blood flow assessment in a single ultrasound examination.

Painful menstrual cramps that can be caused by conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis, which are evaluated with pelvic ultrasound.

Abnormal development or growth of cells, tissues, or organs that can be detected prenatally or on postnatal ultrasound examinations.

The medical term for difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, a common symptom that may prompt echocardiographic or lung ultrasound evaluation.

An echocardiographic measurement of the distance between the mitral valve and the ventricular septum, used as a quick indicator of heart pumping function.

Ultrasound imaging of the heart to evaluate cardiac structure, function, and hemodynamics.

Echocardiography is ultrasound imaging of the heart. Learn what cardiac sonographers do with echo exams, how it works, and why it matters.

Echogenicity describes how bright or dark tissue appears on ultrasound. Learn about echogenic patterns and what they mean clinically.

The relative brightness of a tissue on ultrasound, determined by how strongly it reflects sound waves back to the transducer.

Abnormal widening or dilation of a tubular structure, such as a blood vessel or duct.

The displacement of an organ or tissue from its normal anatomical position, which may be discovered on ultrasound examination.

A pregnancy implanted outside the uterine cavity, most commonly in the fallopian tube — a life-threatening emergency diagnosed on transvaginal ultrasound.

Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in body tissues, which appears on ultrasound as increased fluid surrounding or within affected structures.

A narrow, dark artifact that appears on ultrasound at the curved edges of round structures like cysts, caused by the sound beam bending as it passes by.

Thin shadows at the lateral edges of curved structures such as cysts, caused by refraction at the curved surface.

A measurement of cardiac function representing the percentage of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each heartbeat.

The ability of tissue to return to its original shape after being compressed or stretched, which varies between normal and diseased tissue.

An ultrasound technique that maps tissue stiffness, used to assess liver fibrosis and characterize breast and thyroid lesions.

The joint connecting the upper arm to the forearm, commonly evaluated with musculoskeletal ultrasound for injuries and inflammatory conditions.

The developing human organism from fertilization through the eighth week of pregnancy, visible on early transvaginal ultrasound.

End-Diastolic Velocity (EDV): Doppler velocity at the end of diastole; critically low or reversed values indicate elevated downstream resistance or severe vascular compromise. End-diastolic velocity (EDV) is the blood flow velocity measured at the end of diastole on spectral Doppler. It reflects downstream vascular resistance. Absent or reversed EDV in the umbilical artery is a…

An infection of the inner lining of the heart, usually affecting the valves, which produces growths called vegetations visible on echocardiography.

The thin, smooth inner lining of the heart chambers that can be evaluated during echocardiography.

A probe designed for insertion into body cavities such as the vagina or rectum to obtain high-resolution images of nearby organs.

Cancer of the uterine lining, most commonly detected when ultrasound reveals abnormal thickening of the endometrium in a postmenopausal woman.

Abnormal thickening of the uterine lining from excessive cell growth, which can be a precursor to endometrial cancer and is evaluated with ultrasound.

A growth attached to the inner wall of the uterus that can cause abnormal bleeding and is well visualized with transvaginal ultrasound.

The thin, bright line seen on ultrasound that represents the two layers of the uterine lining pressed together, measured to assess uterine health.

The sonographic measurement of the endometrial lining, used to evaluate postmenopausal bleeding and monitor ovulation.

An ovarian cyst filled with old menstrual blood from endometriosis, characterized by a distinctive ground-glass appearance on ultrasound.

A condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing pain and infertility, with ovarian involvement visible on ultrasound.

The inner lining of the uterus that thickens each month in preparation for pregnancy and is shed during menstruation, routinely evaluated with transvaginal ultrasound.

An ultrasound technique in which a small transducer is placed inside the body through a natural opening to get closer to the structure being examined.

An ultrasound examination performed using a specially designed probe inserted into the vagina, providing detailed images of the uterus, ovaries, and early pregnancy.

An increase in the brightness of echoes behind a structure that transmits sound well, such as a fluid-filled cyst, helping to confirm its fluid content.

A coiled tube on the back of each testicle that stores and transports sperm, commonly evaluated with scrotal ultrasound.

Inflammation of the epididymis, usually caused by bacterial infection, which causes pain and swelling detectable on scrotal ultrasound.

A collection of blood between the skull and the brain’s outer covering, typically caused by head trauma, which can be life-threatening.

Inflammation of small fat-filled pouches on the outer surface of the colon that can mimic appendicitis or diverticulitis on clinical examination.

A rare congenital defect in which the urethral opening is on the top surface of the penis rather than at the tip.

A birth defect in which the esophagus does not connect to the stomach, which may be suspected on prenatal ultrasound when the fetal stomach is not visible.

Cancer of the esophagus, which can be staged using endoscopic ultrasound to assess tumor depth and lymph node involvement.

Enlarged veins in the esophagus caused by liver disease and portal hypertension, which carry a risk of life-threatening bleeding.

The muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach, which is primarily evaluated in sonography through transesophageal echocardiography.

A calculation derived from ultrasound measurements of the fetal head, abdomen, and femur, used to assess whether a fetus is growing normally.

The bile ducts and gallbladder located outside the liver that collect and transport bile to the intestine, routinely evaluated during abdominal ultrasound.