What does hypoechoic lesion mean?
A hypoechoic nodule, sometimes called a hypoechoic lesion, on the thyroid is a mass that appears darker on the ultrasound than the surrounding tissue. This often indicates that a nodule is full of solid, rather than liquid, components.
Are hypoechoic lesions cancerous?
Are Hypoechoic Masses Cancerous? Ultrasounds are one tool in determining whether a mass is cancerous. Solid masses are hypoechoic and can be cancerous. Cysts filled with air or fluid are usually hyperechoic and are rarely cancerous.
What does heterogeneous hypoechoic mean?
A hypoechoic mass is tissue in the body that’s more dense or solid than usual. This term is used to describe what is seen on an ultrasound scan. Ultrasound uses sound waves that are absorbed by or bounce off of tissues, organs, and muscles. The waves form the black and white image you see on an ultrasound screen.
What is a heterogeneous lesion?
Heterogeneous is a word pathologists use to describe tissue that looks very different from one area of the tissue to the next. Differences in colour, shape, and size can make a tissue look heterogeneous. Heterogeneous can be used to describe the way the tissue looks with or without a microscope.
What is a hypoechoic lesion in the breast?
Hypoechoic means an area looks darker on ultrasound than the surrounding tissue. The surrounding tissue therefore looks brighter/lighter shades of grey.
What causes hypoechoic nodules?
These nodules are relatively common and are usually harmless, but there is a very low risk of thyroid cancer. The thyroid is a small gland in the front part of the neck that produces hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism. Nodules can develop on this gland due to the growth of thyroid tissue or a cyst.
Is a heterogeneous mass cancerous?
A term that describes the differences between tumors of the same type in different patients, the differences between cancer cells within a single tumor, or the differences between a primary (original) tumor and a secondary tumor. These differences may involve the tumor’s genes and proteins.