title: Color comet-tail artifact: clinical applications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article explores the circumstances under which the color comet-tail artifact occurs and illustrates the clinical value of the artifact.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subtle abnormalities on gray-scale sonograms often are better appreciated and understood when the color comet-tail artifact is present. This artifact often is helpful in situations in which gray-scale imaging does not provide adequate information for a conclusive diagnosis. Visualization of the color comet-tail artifact can improve diagnostic confidence in a wide spectrum of clinical conditions encountered in sonographic practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Meads Hall, 2nd Fl., Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1088, USA. htchelep@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Hisham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tchelepi
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ralls
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*