As frequency increases, what happens to ultrasound absorption in tissue?

As frequency increases, what happens to ultrasound absorption in tissue?

• A. Increases
• B. Decreases
• C. No change
• D. Uncertain

Answer: (A)

Increasing frequency causes more ultrasound energy to be absorbed by the tissue. In soft tissue, attenuation is mainly due to absorption, and the absorption coefficient grows with frequency. So higher frequency means more energy is converted to heat per unit distance, causing greater absorption and faster loss of signal as it travels. This is why higher frequencies provide better resolution but shallower penetration. The other options would imply less absorption, no change, or uncertainty, which doesn’t match how attenuation scales with frequency in tissue.

Increasing frequency causes more ultrasound energy to be absorbed by the tissue. In soft tissue, attenuation is mainly due to absorption, and the absorption coefficient grows with frequency. So higher frequency means more energy is converted to heat per unit distance, causing greater absorption and faster loss of signal as it travels. This is why higher frequencies provide better resolution but shallower penetration. The other options would imply less absorption, no change, or uncertainty, which doesn’t match how attenuation scales with frequency in tissue.