What is a common limitation of ultrasound imaging?

Ultrasound imaging is a diagnostic technique that relies on sound waves to create images of the internal structures of the body. One of the inherent limitations of ultrasound is indeed the potential difficulty in interpreting the resulting images. This is primarily due to several factors, including the operator's skill and experience, patient body habitus (such as obesity, which can attenuate sound waves), and the positioning of the organs being scanned, which can obscure clear visualization.

Though ultrasound can provide real-time images and is greatly beneficial in many diagnostic scenarios, interpreting these images requires an understanding of anatomy, pathology, and the technical aspects of ultrasound imaging. Variability in ultrasound techniques or patient anatomy can lead to challenges in accurately diagnosing conditions, which is a critical aspect of the overall effectiveness of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool. Hence, the difficulty in image interpretation is a common limitation attributed to ultrasound imaging.