Echogenicity

Echogenicity refers to how different tissues in the body reflect sound waves during an ultrasound examination. Tissues that reflect sound well appear brighter on the ultrasound image and are described as "hyperechoic," while tissues that reflect less sound appear darker and are termed "hypoechoic." For instance, fat or bone might appear bright, while fluid-filled structures like cysts show up darker. This characteristic helps doctors distinguish between various types of tissues and identify any abnormalities, making echogenicity an important concept in medical imaging.