Which term describes a series of closely spaced reverberation echoes behind a strong reflector?

• A. Comet Tail
• B. Edge Shadow
• C. Enhancement
• D. Field of View

Answer: (A)

Comet-tail artifact describes a series of closely spaced reverberation echoes behind a strong reflector. When a bright, highly reflective object sits in the beam path, the ultrasound wave bounces rapidly between the transducer and that reflector, creating a cascade of diminishing echoes that form a bright, tapering line extending behind the object. This tail-like appearance is the hallmark of comet tail. It’s different from edge shadow, which appears as a shadow along the edge of a curved interface; from posterior enhancement, which brightens structures behind a fluid-filled or low-attenuation area; and from field of view, which relates to the imaging window rather than a tissue echo pattern behind a reflector.