Side lobe artifacts are common distortions in medical ultrasound imaging, appearing as false echoes adjacent to strong reflectors. These occur because the transducer’s main sound beam is accompanied by weaker “side lobes” that can pick up reflections from off-axis structures. While the main beam focuses energy, these unintended emissions can interact with highly reflective objects, generating spurious signals that are incorrectly displayed within the main image, potentially mimicking real anatomy.
Understanding and recognizing side lobe artifacts is crucial for accurate diagnosis in ultrasound. They can obscure true pathologies or lead to misinterpretations, especially in areas with highly reflective interfaces like bone or air. Techniques like spatial compounding and harmonic imaging can help mitigate these artifacts by improving beam quality and reducing the influence of off-axis energy, enhancing overall image clarity and diagnostic confidence for medical professionals.
