Echogenicity

Obstetric ultrasonography of twins at a gestational age of almost 9 weeks. The mother’s and the twins’ bodies have a higher echogenicity than the amniotic fluid around them. The standard representation is brighter color for higher echogenicity, giving the almost anechoic fluid an almost black appearance.

Echogenicity (sometimes as echogenecity) or echogeneity is the ability to bounce an echo, e.g. return the signal in medical ultrasound examinations. In other words, echogenicity is higher when the surface bouncing the sound echo reflects increased sound waves. Tissues that have higher echogenicity are called "hyperechoic" and are usually represented with lighter colors on images in medical ultrasonography. In contrast, tissues with lower echogenicity are called "hypoechoic" and are usually represented with darker colors. Areas that lack echogenicity are called "anechoic" and are usually displayed as completely dark.[1]

  1. ^ Ihnatsenka, Barys; Boezaart, André Pierre (2010). "Ultrasound: Basic understanding and learning the language". International Journal of Shoulder Surgery. 4 (3): 55–62. doi:10.4103/0973-6042.76960. PMC 3063344. PMID 21472065.