Which mechanism compensates for the loss of echo strength caused by depth, is operator adjustable, and provides equal amplification for all reflectors?

Which mechanism compensates for the loss of echo strength caused by depth, is operator adjustable, and provides equal amplification for all reflectors?

• A. Time Gain Compensation
• B. Amplification
• C. Demodulation
• D. Compression

Answer: (A)

Time Gain Compensation adjusts amplification based on depth. As the ultrasound beam travels deeper, echoes attenuate, so deeper structures appear dimmer. TGC lets the operator increase gain more for deeper signals than for shallow ones, producing similar brightness across depths. This depth-specific adjustment is what differentiates it from a uniform amplification setting, which would boost all echoes equally, and from processing steps like demodulation or compression that don’t specifically address depth-related attenuation.

Time Gain Compensation adjusts amplification based on depth. As the ultrasound beam travels deeper, echoes attenuate, so deeper structures appear dimmer. TGC lets the operator increase gain more for deeper signals than for shallow ones, producing similar brightness across depths. This depth-specific adjustment is what differentiates it from a uniform amplification setting, which would boost all echoes equally, and from processing steps like demodulation or compression that don’t specifically address depth-related attenuation.