Ultrasound Terminology & Abbreviations

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Questions and Answers

What does TGC stand for in ultrasound terminology?

Transitional Gain Constant

Time Gain Compensation (correct)

Tissue Gain Control

Total Gain Correction

In ultrasound terminology, what does the term 'medial' indicate?

Towards the outer edge

Towards the midline (correct)

Towards the right side

Towards the left side

Which ultrasound view displays the patient's right side on the left side of the screen?

Transverse (correct)

Coronal

Longitudinal

Sagittal

What term is used to describe how the ultrasound machine determines the velocity and direction of flow?

Doppler Shift Signup and view all the answers

What is the area of best definition in an ultrasound image referred to as?

Focal point Signup and view all the answers

What does the prefix 'Ad-' signify in medical terminology?

Toward Signup and view all the answers

Which medical term suffix indicates pain?

-algia Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hypoechoic' describe in ultrasound terminology?

Low level echoes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following prefixes means 'below' or 'under'?

Infra- Signup and view all the answers

In the context of ultrasound terminology, what is a 'cystic' structure?

Fluid-filled Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'complex' refer to in ultrasound findings?

Both solid and fluid components Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about 'Continuous wave' in ultrasound?

Utilizes two crystals constantly one sends and one receives Signup and view all the answers

What does 'attenuation' mean in the context of ultrasound?

Loss of energy Signup and view all the answers

Which abbreviation stands for 'Nothing by mouth'?

NPO Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Anechoic' refer to in ultrasound imaging?

Fluid-filled without echoes Signup and view all the answers

Which prefix indicates 'same'?

Homo- Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the function of a 'transducer' in ultrasound?

Converts one form of energy into another Signup and view all the answers

In ultrasound, what does 'echoic' indicate?

Presence of reflected sound Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ultrasound Terminology & Abbreviations

Ultrasound Terminology: Study of ultrasound; includes various terms and abbreviations.

Ultrasound Root Words

Ad-: Toward
Ab-: Away from
Adipo-: Fat
Angio-: Blood vessel or lymph vessel
A-, an-: Absent or deficient
Ante-: Front
Brachio-: Arm
Cardi-, cardio-: Heart
Dextra-: Right
End-, Endo-: Within, inside
Dys-: Difficult/painful
Decub-: Side
Eryth-: Red
Ex-, Exo-: Out, outside of
Hem-, hema-, hemo-, hemato-: Pertaining to blood
Hemi-: Half
Hepato-: Liver
Homeo-, homo-: Same
Hydra-, hydro-: Water
Hyper-: Above; greater concentration
Hypo-: Below; lesser concentration
Hyster-: Uterus
Infero-: Below
Infra-: Below, under, inferior to, after
Inter-: Between
Intra-: Within
Ipsi-: Same
Juxta-: Close proximity
Lipo-: Fat
Mega, megalo: Large, of great size
Meta-: Change
Myo-: Muscle
Necro-: Death, necrosis
Neo-: New
Nephro-: Kidney
Oligo-: Few, small
Omphalo-: Navel
Oophor-: Ovary
Orchi-: Testicle
Peri-: Around
Para-: Beside or beyond
Phlebo-: Pertaining to vein or veins
Pleur-: Rib
Poly-: Many; too much
Post-: Back; after
Pre-: Before
Pulmo-: Lungs
Pseudo-: False
Py-, pyo-: Pus
Pyelo-: Pelvis
Retro-: Backward, behind
Sclero-: Hard
Sebo-: Fatty substance
Sub-: Under; below
Super-, supra-: Over; above
Thrombo-: Blood clot
Trans-: Across; over; beyond; through
Vaso-: Vessel
Veno: Vein
Vent-: Front
Vesico-: Bladder

Mathematical Abbreviations

>: Greater than
≥: Greater than or equal to
=: Equal to
+: Positive
−: Negative
<: Less than
≤: Less than or equal to

Medical Suffixes

-algia: Pain
-ase: Enzyme
-asis, -esis, -iasis, -isis, -osis: Condition; pathologic state
-cele: Tumor, swelling
-centesis: Puncture
-dia: Through
-dynia: Pain
-ectasis: Expansion
-ectomy: Surgical removal
-emia: Condition of the blood
-genic: Origin
-glycemia: Pertaining to blood sugar levels
-itis: Inflammation
-lith: Stone, calculous
-poiesis, -poietic: Production, formation
-stasis: Standing still, stable
-pathy: Abnormality
-ology: Study of
-oma: Tumor
-osis: Abnormal condition or process
-uria: Urine
-rhage, -rhagia: Rupture, bleed
-tomy: Incision; cutting; study of structure involving removal of it
-plasty: Surgical correction

Common Medical Abbreviations

AAA: Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Ao: Aorta
ASAP: As soon as possible
B-Mode: Brightness modulation
BP: Blood pressure
BPM: Beats per minute
Bx: Biopsy
C: With
CBC: Complete blood count
C: Celsius
CCU: Critical Care Unit
CCA: Common Carotid Artery
CHD: Congenital Heart Disease
CHF: Congestive Heart Failure
cm: Centimeter
COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
CT: Computed tomography
CVA: Cerebrovascular accident
dB: Decibel
DM: Diabetes mellitus
DVT: Deep venous thrombosis
Dx: Diagnosis
ECG: Electrocardiogram
ER: Emergency Room
F/U: Follow-up
Fx: Function
GI: Gastrointestinal
gm; g: Gram
HTN: Hypertension
Hg: Mercury, commonly measured with BP in mmHg.
Hx: History
ICU: Intensive Care unit
IV: Intravenous
IVC: Inferior vena cava
K: Potassium
kg: Kilogram
LE: Lower extremity
LLQ: Left lower quadrant
Lt: Left
LUQ: Left upper quadrant
MHz: Megahertz
MI: Myocardial infarction
ml: Milliliter
mm: Millimeter
M-Mode: Motion mode or time-motion mode
MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging
NICU: Neonatal intensive care unit
NPO: Nothing by mouth
OR: Operating room
OZ: Ounce
PE: Pleural effusion/ Pulmonary embolism
Post-op: After surgery
PP: Postpartum
PPD: Test for tuberculosis
Pre-op: Before surgery
pt: Patient
PTA: Prior to admission
PTT: Prothrombin time
PV: Portal vein
qd: Every day
qh: Every hour
qid: Four times a day
RBC: Red blood cell
RI: Resistive index
RLQ: Right lower quadrant
Rt: Right
R/O: Rule out
RUQ: Right upper quadrant
Rx: Treatment/Prescription
s/p: Status post
Stat: Immediately
TCD: Transcranial Doppler
TCG, TGC: Time compensated gain
TIA: Transient Ischemic Attack
Tx: Transplant or transducer
UE: Upper extremity
US: Ultrasound
SVC: Superior vena cava
PW: Pulse wave
CW: Continuous wave
CF: Color flow
LPO: Left Posterior Oblique
LLD: Left Lateral Decubitus
RPO: Right Posterior Oblique
RLD: Right Lateral Decubitus

Additional Ultrasound Terminology

B Mode: Brightness Mode; ultrasound image displayed in gray scale.
Gray Scale, B Mode: Brightness mode image in grayscale
Transducer: Converts one form of energy into another; name of ultrasound probe.
Piezoelectric crystals: Crystals producing an electrical charge when compressed or expanded.
Attenuation: Loss of energy as a sound pulse travels through a medium.
Frequency (MHz): Energy at which the ultrasound transducer is performing. Higher frequency = better detail, less penetration. Lower frequency = less detail, better penetration. Ultrasound: frequency of sound above 20 KHz.
Hertz: Cycles per second
Pulse wave: Crystals receive and transmit sound; alternating between listening and sending.
Continuous wave: Two crystals: one receives constantly and one sends constantly.
Duplex: Doppler and image
Sweep: Overview of entire anatomy of interest in long and transverse.
Echogenicity: What type of echo display (an/hypo/hyper-echoic).
Anechoic/sonolucent: Without echoes; black; fluid filled structure.
Hypoechoic: Low level echoes; grays; more solid structure.
Echogenic/Hyperechoic: Bright intensity echoes; white; dense or strong reflector.
Isoechoic/Homogenous: Same echogenicity as surrounding area; blends in; same echogenicity thru; smooth texture; uniform composition.
Heterogeneous: Different echogenicities within; not smooth texture; not uniform in texture.
Complex: Both solid and fluid components.
Cystic: Fluid filled; usually anechoic appearance
Noise: Artifact caused by echoes not being bounced directly back to transducer.
Shadowing: Black area under a structure that could not be penetrated with the sound wave.
Posterior Enhancement: Area brighter underneath a structure than surrounding tissue.
Interface: Area between two adjacent structures; used to compare echogenicities.
Gain: Amplification of returning echoes.
TGC: Time Gain Compensation; amplification of echoes at specific depths
Focus/Focal point: Area of best definition; where ultrasound beam is narrowest.
Depth: How much time the machine listens for returning echoes.
Superior: Above; top of; closer to the head
Inferior: Below; bottom of; closer to the feet
Proximal: Closer to the heart
Distal: Farther away from the heart
Anterior: Front of; on top of; closer to front surface
Posterior: Back of; underneath; behind; closer to back surface
Medial: Towards the midline
Lateral: Towards the side; away from midline
Sagittal: Longitudinal view; always displays head on left of screen
Transverse: Cross-sectional view; axial; patient's right side is always on the left of the screen
Coronal: Side view; scanning from the side
Color Doppler: Directional color display of flow; going toward and away from the transducer
Spectral Doppler: Spectral display of frequencies along a timeline, going toward and away from the transducer.
Doppler shift: How ultrasound figures out velocity and direction of flow; the frequency difference between the frequency sent and the returning frequency.

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This quiz focuses on ultrasound terminology, including various common root words and their meanings. Test your knowledge on key terms and abbreviations used in ultrasound studies. Perfect for students and professionals in the medical field.