scholarly journals Frequency-Domain Synthetic Aperture Focusing Techniques for Imaging with Single-Element Focused Transducers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elyas Shaswary
Keyword(s):  
Image Reconstruction ◽  
Image Quality ◽  
Frequency Domain ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Diffraction Effect ◽  
Sidelobe Level ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing

Synthetic aperture focusing techniques (SAFT) make the lateral spatial resolution of the conventional ultrasound imaging from a single-element focused transducer more uniform. In this work, two new frequency-domain SAFT (FD-SAFT) algorithms are proposed, which are based on 2D matched filtering techniques. The first algorithm is the FD-SAFT virtual disk source (FD-VDS) that treats the focus of a focused transducer as a finite sized virtual source and the diffraction effect in the far-field is accounted for in the image reconstruction. The second algorithm is the FD-SAFT deconvolution (FD-DC) that uses the simulated point spread function of the imaging system as a matched filter kernel in the image reconstruction. These algorithms were implemented for pulsed and linear frequency modulated chirp excitations. The performance of these algorithms was studied using a series of simulations and experiments, and it was compared with the conventional B-mode and time-domain virtual point source SAFT (TD-VPS) imaging techniques. The image quality was analyzed in terms of spatial resolution, sidelobe level, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast resolution, contrast-to- speckle ratio, and ex vivo tissue image quality. The results showed that the FD-VDS had the highest spatial resolution and FD-DC had the second highest spatial resolution. In addition, FD-DC had generally the highest SNR. The computation run time of the proposed methods was significantly lower than the TD-VPS. Furthermore, chirp excitation improves the SNR of all methods by about 8 dB without significantly affecting the spatial resolution and sidelobe level. Thus, the FD-VDS and FD-DC methods offer efficient solutions to make the spatial resolution of conventional B-mode imaging more uniform.

scholarly journals Frequency-Domain Synthetic Aperture Focusing Techniques for Imaging with Single-Element Focused Transducers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elyas Shaswary
Keyword(s):  
Image Reconstruction ◽  
Image Quality ◽  
Frequency Domain ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Diffraction Effect ◽  
Sidelobe Level ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing

Synthetic aperture focusing techniques (SAFT) make the lateral spatial resolution of the conventional ultrasound imaging from a single-element focused transducer more uniform. In this work, two new frequency-domain SAFT (FD-SAFT) algorithms are proposed, which are based on 2D matched filtering techniques. The first algorithm is the FD-SAFT virtual disk source (FD-VDS) that treats the focus of a focused transducer as a finite sized virtual source and the diffraction effect in the far-field is accounted for in the image reconstruction. The second algorithm is the FD-SAFT deconvolution (FD-DC) that uses the simulated point spread function of the imaging system as a matched filter kernel in the image reconstruction. These algorithms were implemented for pulsed and linear frequency modulated chirp excitations. The performance of these algorithms was studied using a series of simulations and experiments, and it was compared with the conventional B-mode and time-domain virtual point source SAFT (TD-VPS) imaging techniques. The image quality was analyzed in terms of spatial resolution, sidelobe level, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast resolution, contrast-to- speckle ratio, and ex vivo tissue image quality. The results showed that the FD-VDS had the highest spatial resolution and FD-DC had the second highest spatial resolution. In addition, FD-DC had generally the highest SNR. The computation run time of the proposed methods was significantly lower than the TD-VPS. Furthermore, chirp excitation improves the SNR of all methods by about 8 dB without significantly affecting the spatial resolution and sidelobe level. Thus, the FD-VDS and FD-DC methods offer efficient solutions to make the spatial resolution of conventional B-mode imaging more uniform.

scholarly journals Synthetic Aperture Imaging Using High-Frequency Convex Array for Ophthalmic Ultrasound Applications

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2275
Author(s):  
Hae Gyun Lim ◽  
Hyung Ham Kim ◽  
Changhan Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Penetration Depth ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Single Element ◽  
High Frequency Ultrasound ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Imaging

High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) imaging has emerged as an essential tool for pre-clinical studies and clinical applications such as ophthalmic and dermatologic imaging. HFUS imaging systems based on array transducers capable of dynamic receive focusing have considerably improved the image quality in terms of spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to those by the single-element transducer-based one. However, the array system still suffers from low spatial resolution and SNR in out-of-focus regions, resulting in a blurred image and a limited penetration depth. In this paper, we present synthetic aperture imaging with a virtual source (SA-VS) for an ophthalmic application using a high-frequency convex array transducer. The performances of the SA-VS were evaluated with phantom and ex vivo experiments in comparison with the conventional dynamic receive focusing method. Pre-beamformed radio-frequency (RF) data from phantoms and excised bovine eye were acquired using a custom-built 64-channel imaging system. In the phantom experiments, the SA-VS method showed improved lateral resolution (>10%) and sidelobe level (>4.4 dB) compared to those by the conventional method. The SNR was also improved, resulting in an increased penetration depth: 16 mm and 23 mm for the conventional and SA-VS methods, respectively. Ex vivo images with the SA-VS showed improved image quality at the entire depth and visualized structures that were obscured by noise in conventional imaging.

ULTRASONIC IMAGING SYSTEM USING A 2D ENVELOPE BEAMFORMING TECHNIQUE: IN-HOMOGENEITIES LOCATION

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (04) ◽  
pp. 571-585
Author(s):  
L. MEDINA ◽  
E. MORENO
Keyword(s):  
Imaging System ◽  
Side Lobe ◽  
Ultrasonic Pulse ◽  
Image Resolution ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing ◽  
Longitudinal Resolution ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique ◽  
Beamforming Technique

An algorithm has been developed to implement synthetic aperture focusing technique for B-scan. This is made at a several transmitter/receiver locations to form a map of ultrasonic reflectivity on the insonified region, considering the path travelled by the ultrasonic pulse from the transducer to the target and back again. To reconstruct the image, a time domain beam-former is applied to the envelope of the detected signals. This method minimizes the side-lobe amplitude and the restriction of λ/2 distance between two adjacent transducer positions can be neglected without loosing image resolution. The present work is focused on the location of the in-homogeneities, caused by the presence of a phantom immersed in a water tank. The results are presented when the distance between two adjacent transducer positions are varied from 0.5λ to 2.5λ showing that the longitudinal resolution is not affected but the lateral resolution becomes poorer when the distance is about 2λ. The error in the longitudinal location of in-homogeneities is within the minimum detectable distance of the system, while the lateral location error is increased when the distance between any two adjacent transducer positions is larger than 1.5λ.

scholarly journals Plane wave ultrasound imaging using synthetic aperture image reconstruction techniques

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae-Myoung (Danny) Yang
Keyword(s):  
Image Reconstruction ◽  
Image Quality ◽  
Plane Wave ◽  
Ultrasound Imaging ◽  
Plane Waves ◽  
Reconstruction Algorithm ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Depth Of Penetration ◽  
Image Reconstruction Techniques

Ultrasound imaging based on transmitting plane waves (PW) enables ultrafast imaging. Coherent PW compounding ultrasound imaging can reach the image quality of optimal multifocus image. In the image reconstruction, it was assumed that an infinite extent PWs was emitted. In this thesis, we propose a new image reconstruction algorithm – Synthetic-aperture plane-wave (SAPW) imaging – without using this assumption. The SAPW imaging was compared with the PWs imaging in numerical simulations and experimental measurements. The measured RF data in PW imaging was first decoded in the frequency domain using a pseudoinverse algorithm to estimate the RF data Then, SAPW RF data were used to reconstruct images through the standard synthetic transit aperture (STA) method. Main improvements in the image quality of the SAPW imaging in comparison with the PWs imaging are increases in the depth of penetration and the field of view when contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was used as a quantitative metric.

Three-dimensional imaging system based on Fourier transform synthetic aperture focusing technique

Ultrasonics ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Mayer ◽  
R. Marklein ◽  
K.J. Langenberg ◽  
T. Kreutter
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transform ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Synthetic Aperture ◽  
Three Dimensional Imaging ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing ◽  
Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique
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