Variable ultrasound echogenicity in flowing blood.
Real-time ultrasound imaging of large abdominal veins revealed bloodstream echogenicity of variable intensity. This variability is largely due to the entrance and persistance of tributary blood currents that show different echogenicity. Red cell aggregation is probably an important cause of bloodstream echoes and their variable intensity.
D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000502:physiology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000502:physiology