A system and method are disclosed for providing an equalized ultrasound echo signal for the rendering intravascular images. The system includes an ultrasound catheter including an ultrasound transducer probe. An intravascular ultrasound console receives an ultrasound echo signal corresponding to reflections of an ultrasound signal by backscatterers. An ultrasound echo signal time-gain compensation equalizer compensates the ultrasound echo signal according to sub-bands within a frequency response spectrum of the ultrasound echo signal. After applying selective amplifier gains on the sub-bands, the sub-band signals are combined to create an equalized ultrasound echo signal.