Power mode Doppler is typically associated with which characteristics?

• A. Poor temporal resolution and flash artifact
• B. Lower sensitivity and high frame rate
• C. High sensitivity and high frame rates
• D. High sensitivity and frequent flash artifacts

Answer: (D)

Power Doppler measures the strength (power) of the Doppler signal rather than its velocity or direction. This makes it exceptionally sensitive to even very slow or weak flow, which is why it’s described as having high sensitivity. However, because it relies on signal amplitude from all Doppler shifts, it is more prone to noise and motion, leading to frequent flash artifacts that appear as bright spots or patches on the image. It does not provide directional information or quantitative velocity, so its main trade-off is gaining sensitivity at the cost of artifacts.