Which tissue has little effect on ultrasound transmission?

Which tissue has little effect on ultrasound transmission?

• A. Muscle
• B. Adipose
• C. Bone
• D. Nerve

Answer: (B)

When ultrasound travels through tissue, how much energy gets through depends on attenuation and acoustic impedance. Tissues that cause big impedance mismatches or high attenuation reflect and absorb more of the sound, reducing transmission. Adipose tissue has relatively low attenuation and an acoustic impedance close to water, so sound waves pass through it with minimal energy loss and few reflections. That makes adipose act like a gentle pass-through for ultrasound, compared with bone, which reflects and absorbs a lot due to its high impedance and attenuation, and with muscle or nerve, which attenuate more than fat. In short, adipose tissue transmits ultrasound more readily than the others, hence its little effect on transmission.

When ultrasound travels through tissue, how much energy gets through depends on attenuation and acoustic impedance. Tissues that cause big impedance mismatches or high attenuation reflect and absorb more of the sound, reducing transmission. Adipose tissue has relatively low attenuation and an acoustic impedance close to water, so sound waves pass through it with minimal energy loss and few reflections. That makes adipose act like a gentle pass-through for ultrasound, compared with bone, which reflects and absorbs a lot due to its high impedance and attenuation, and with muscle or nerve, which attenuate more than fat. In short, adipose tissue transmits ultrasound more readily than the others, hence its little effect on transmission.