Attenuation

Attenuation is the weakening of the sound's strength.  It is the reduction in the power, intensity, and amplitude of a sound wave as it travels through a medium.

Understanding attenuation is important for several reasons:

• attenuation limits penetration

• attenuation must be compensated for by the ultrasound system’s TGC. If not, deeper structures would always be displayed darker on the screen than superficial structures

• attenuation produces significant artifacts. Some are helpful (enhancement); others may or may not be (shadowing)

Here are three videos that will help you understand this important topic: