Usefulness of Twinkling Artifacts in Color Doppler Ultrasonography

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the color Doppler twinkling artifact in disease of urinary system. The intensity of twinkling artifact(TA) with color Doppler was classified into 3 levels, 0(non-TA) to 3(distinct TA). In the in vitro study, acorn jelly with various materials on top was examined using color Doppler at B-mode sonography in a water bath for TA. 31 patients with diagnosis of urinary calculi(renal stones 16, urinary stones 15) based on B-mode sonography were studied in vivo for TA. The materials with rough surfaces such as salt, screw and cubics at B-mode sonography with color Doppler contributed to causing TA. At B-mode sonography without color Doppler 37% of renal stones and 60% of ureter stones were detected. but at B-mode sonography with color Doppler TA was demonstrated for all cases.Superficial roughness of materials affected occurrence of TA at B-mode sonography with color Doppler. Therefore, TA at B-mode sonography without color Doppler could play a role in confident diagnosis of the disease of urinary system. ■ keyword :|Color Doppler|Renal Stone|Twinkling Artifact|Ureter Stone|Urinary Calculi|

Usefulness of Color Doppler for Non-dilatational Ureteral Stone

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A Review of the Clinical Use of Ultrasound in Korean Traditional Medicine

“…An ultrasound wave is a high-frequency sound wave that cannot be heard by the unassisted human ear. Since ultrasound waves have high frequencies, they travel poorly through air and travel well through liquids and solids [1]. It is believed that most people can hear sounds at frequencies up to 20,000 Hz.…”

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