scholarly journals Novel ultrasound transmission and reconstruction techniques for synthetic transmit aperture imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Gong
Keyword(s):  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Singular Values ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Transmission Scheme ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Spatial Compounding ◽  
Image Quality Enhancement ◽  
Noise Ratio ◽  
Value Decomposition

This dissertation describes ultrasound algorithms developed for synthetic transmit aperture (STA) imaging during the transmission and the image reconstruction stages. Images generated using these algorithms demonstrate image quality enhancement both theoretically and experimentally. The advanced algorithms also improve the application of STA imaging. Due to the single element transmission pattern, the low signal-to-noise ratio is a major limitation for STA imaging. A delay-encoded transmission scheme (DE-STA) was designed in this dissertation to encode all the transmissions. The decoded RF signals were equivalent to the standard STA signals, but with a higher SNR. Improved image qualities were observed under DE-STA transmission in terms of lateral resolution (+28%), peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR, +7 dB) and target contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR, +360%) compared to those acquired with the standard STA mode. The stability of DE-STA was analyzed and verified under various noise levels by the special distribution of the singular values of the encoding matrix through singular value decomposition (SVD) (i.e. all the singular values were the same except for the first one and the last one). A more efficient decoding process was also derived based on pseudo-inversion (PI) and the computation complexity was reduced by 2/3. Speckle and undesired sidelobe signals can reduce the lesion CNR and detectability in ultrasound images. Typically, the CNR can be increased by spatial compounding (SC) or frequency compounding (FC) during reconstruction. We proposed methods to implement a 2-dimentional (2-D) aperture domain filter in the SC/FC processes, referred to as filtered spatial compounding (FSC) and filtered frequency compounding (FFC), for synthetic transmit aperture (STA) imaging. Both techniques reduced the sidelobe interference and provided improved lesion CNR. Consequently, the lesion signal-to-noise ratio (lSNR) in FSC and FFC increased (up to +130%), compared to that in the standard delay-and-sum (DAS) method. This dissertation investigates all these proposed advanced ultrasound algorithms, with the end goal of implementing these methods in STA imaging to extend its application in clinic.

scholarly journals Novel ultrasound transmission and reconstruction techniques for synthetic transmit aperture imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Gong
Keyword(s):  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Singular Values ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Transmission Scheme ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Spatial Compounding ◽  
Image Quality Enhancement ◽  
Noise Ratio ◽  
Value Decomposition

This dissertation describes ultrasound algorithms developed for synthetic transmit aperture (STA) imaging during the transmission and the image reconstruction stages. Images generated using these algorithms demonstrate image quality enhancement both theoretically and experimentally. The advanced algorithms also improve the application of STA imaging. Due to the single element transmission pattern, the low signal-to-noise ratio is a major limitation for STA imaging. A delay-encoded transmission scheme (DE-STA) was designed in this dissertation to encode all the transmissions. The decoded RF signals were equivalent to the standard STA signals, but with a higher SNR. Improved image qualities were observed under DE-STA transmission in terms of lateral resolution (+28%), peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR, +7 dB) and target contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR, +360%) compared to those acquired with the standard STA mode. The stability of DE-STA was analyzed and verified under various noise levels by the special distribution of the singular values of the encoding matrix through singular value decomposition (SVD) (i.e. all the singular values were the same except for the first one and the last one). A more efficient decoding process was also derived based on pseudo-inversion (PI) and the computation complexity was reduced by 2/3. Speckle and undesired sidelobe signals can reduce the lesion CNR and detectability in ultrasound images. Typically, the CNR can be increased by spatial compounding (SC) or frequency compounding (FC) during reconstruction. We proposed methods to implement a 2-dimentional (2-D) aperture domain filter in the SC/FC processes, referred to as filtered spatial compounding (FSC) and filtered frequency compounding (FFC), for synthetic transmit aperture (STA) imaging. Both techniques reduced the sidelobe interference and provided improved lesion CNR. Consequently, the lesion signal-to-noise ratio (lSNR) in FSC and FFC increased (up to +130%), compared to that in the standard delay-and-sum (DAS) method. This dissertation investigates all these proposed advanced ultrasound algorithms, with the end goal of implementing these methods in STA imaging to extend its application in clinic.

ROBUST SVD FILTERING FOR LOW SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO SEISMIC DATA

Geophysics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-51
Author(s):  
Chao Wang ◽  
Yun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Data ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Singular Values ◽  
New Method ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Coherent Noise ◽  
Edge Preserving ◽  
Singular Vectors ◽  
Reduced Rank ◽  
Noise Ratio

Reduced-rank filtering is a common method for attenuating noise in seismic data. As conventional reduced-rank filtering distinguishes signals from noises only according to singular values, it performs poorly when the signal-to-noise ratio is very low, or when data contain high levels of isolate or coherent noise. Therefore, we developed a novel and robust reduced-rank filtering based on the singular value decomposition in the time-space domain. In this method, noise is recognized and attenuated according to the characteristics of both singular values and singular vectors. The left and right singular vectors corresponding to large singular values are selected firstly. Then, the right singular vectors are classified into different categories according to their curve characteristics, such as jump, pulse, and smooth. Each kind of right singular vector is related to a type of noise or seismic event, and is corrected by using a different filtering technology, such as mean filtering, edge-preserving smoothing or edge-preserving median filtering. The left singular vectors are also corrected by using the filtering methods based on frequency attributes like main-frequency and frequency bandwidth. To process seismic data containing a variety of events, local data are extracted along the local dip of event. The optimal local dip is identified according to the singular values and singular vectors of the data matrices that are extracted along different trial directions. This new filtering method has been applied to synthetic and field seismic data, and its performance is compared with that of several conventional filtering methods. The results indicate that the new method is more robust for data with a low signal-to-noise ratio, strong isolate noise, or coherent noise. The new method also overcomes the difficulties associated with selecting an optimal rank.

scholarly journals Receiver phase alignment using fitted SVD derived sensitivities from routine prescans

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256700
Author(s):  
Olivia W. Stanley ◽  
Ravi S. Menon ◽  
L. Martyn Klassen
Keyword(s):  
Singular Value Decomposition ◽  
Radio Frequency ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Singular Value ◽  
7 Tesla ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Phase Signal ◽  
Noise Ratio ◽  
Value Decomposition ◽  
Svd Method

Magnetic resonance imaging radio frequency arrays are composed of multiple receive coils that have their signals combined to form an image. Combination requires an estimate of the radio frequency coil sensitivities to align signal phases and prevent destructive interference. At lower fields this can be accomplished using a uniform physical reference coil. However, at higher fields, uniform volume coils are lacking and, when available, suffer from regions of low receive sensitivity that result in poor sensitivity estimation and combination. Several approaches exist that do not require a physical reference coil but require manual intervention, specific prescans, or must be completed post-acquisition. This makes these methods impractical for large multi-volume datasets such as those collected for novel types of functional MRI or quantitative susceptibility mapping, where magnitude and phase are important. This pilot study proposes a fitted SVD method which utilizes existing combination methods to create a phase sensitive combination method targeted at large multi-volume datasets. This method uses any multi-image prescan to calculate the relative receive sensitivities using voxel-wise singular value decomposition. These relative sensitivities are fitted to the solid harmonics using an iterative least squares fitting algorithm. Fits of the relative sensitivities are used to align the phases of the receive coils and improve combination in subsequent acquisitions during the imaging session. This method is compared against existing approaches in the human brain at 7 Tesla by examining the combined data for the presence of singularities and changes in phase signal-to-noise ratio. Two additional applications of the method are also explored, using the fitted SVD method in an asymmetrical coil and in a case with subject motion. The fitted SVD method produces singularity-free images and recovers between 95–100% of the phase signal-to-noise ratio depending on the prescan data resolution. Using solid harmonic fitting to interpolate singular value decomposition derived receive sensitivities from existing prescans allows the fitted SVD method to be used on all acquisitions within a session without increasing exam duration. Our fitted SVD method is able to combine imaging datasets accurately without supervision during online reconstruction.

Comparative Study on Filter Methods of Medical Ultrasound Images

2011 ◽  
Vol 341-342 ◽  
pp. 467-471
Author(s):  
Run Xia Ma ◽  
Xu Ming Zhang ◽  
Ming Yue Ding ◽  
Qi Liu
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Gabor Filter ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Median Filter ◽  
Minimum Mean Square Error ◽  
Ultrasound Image ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Protection Factor ◽  
Noise Ratio

This paper presents a comparative study on six despeckling methods such as modified hybrid median filter, gabor filter, speckle reducing anisotropic diffusion, homomorphic filter, non-local mean filter and squeeze box filter. We select eight objective evaluation parameters, such as signal-to-ratio, contrast signal–to–noise ratio, figure of merit, least absolute error, peak signal-to-noise ratio, edge protection factor, quantitative parameters of despeckling, signal-to-minimum mean square error ratio, to quantify the performance of these filters. The comparative study will provide a good guidance for selecting a suitable filter in the ultrasound image processing.

scholarly journals Novel image enhancement approaches for despeckling in ultrasound images for fibroid detection in human uterus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 399-410
Author(s):  
Kaitheri Thacharedath Dilna ◽  
Duraisamy Jude Hemanth
Keyword(s):  
Image Processing ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Ultrasound Image ◽  
Speckle Noise ◽  
Speckle Reduction ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Noise Ratio ◽  
Scanned Images

Abstract Ultrasonography is an extensively used medical imaging technique for multiple reasons. It works on the basic theory of echoes from the tissues under consideration. However, the occurrence of signal dependent noise such as speckle destroys utility of ultrasound images. Speckle noise is subject to the composition of image tissue and parameters of image. It reduces the effectiveness of many image processing steps and decreases human perception of fine details form ultrasound images. In many medical image processing methods, despeckling is used as the preprocessing step before segmentation and feature extraction. Many speckle reduction filters are proposed but while combining many techniques some speckle diagnostic information should be preserved. Removal of speckle noise from ultrasound image by preserving edges and added features is a great challenging task in ultrasound image restoration. This paper aims at a comprehensive description and comparison of reduction of speckle noise of ultrasound fibroid image. Many filters are applied on ultrasound scanned images and the performance is marked in terms of some statistical measures. Even though several despeckling filters are there for speckle reduction, all are not good for ultrasound scanned images. A comparison of quality measures such as mean square error, peak signal-to-noise ratio, and signal-to-noise ratio is done in ultrasound images in despeckling.

scholarly journals Performance Analysis of Various Filters for De-Speckling of Thyroid Ultrasound Images

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 910-917
Keyword(s):  
Mean Square Error ◽  
Image Quality Assessment ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Structural Similarity ◽  
Speckle Noise ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Mean Square ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Noise Ratio

Thyroid ultrasonography is the most common and extremely useful, safe, and cost effective way to image the thyroid gland and its pathology. However, an inherent characteristic of Ultrasound (US) imaging is the presence of multiplicative speckle noise. Speckle noise reduces the ability of an observer to distinguish fine details, make diagnosis more difficult. It limits the effective implementation of image analysis steps such as edge detection, segmentation and classification. The main objective of this study is to compare the performance of various spatial and frequency domain filters so as to identify efficient and optimum filter for de-speckling Thyroid US images. The performance of these filters is evaluated using the image quality assessment parameters Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Mean Square Error (MSE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for different speckle variance. Experimental work revealed that kuan filter resulted in higher PSNR, SNR, SSIM and least MSE, RMSE values compared to other filters

scholarly journals Ultrasound Images Registration Based on Optimal Feature Descriptor Using Speeded Up Robust Feature

2020 ◽  
pp. 2395-2407
Author(s):  
Hawra’a Lateef Joey ◽  
Ahlam Hanoon Al-sudani ◽  
Maher Faik Esmaile
Keyword(s):  
Image Registration ◽  
Execution Time ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
Reference Image ◽  
Feature Descriptor ◽  
Ultrasound Images ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
The Us ◽  
Noise Ratio

Image registration plays a significant role in the medical image processing field. This paper proposes a development on the accuracy and performance of the Speeded-Up Robust Surf (SURF) algorithm to create Extended Field of View (EFoV) Ultrasound (US) images through applying different matching measures. These measures include Euclidean distance, cityblock distance, variation, and correlation in the matching stage that was built in the SURF algorithm. The US image registration (fusion) was implemented depending on the control points obtained from the used matching measures. The matched points with higher frequency algorithm were proposed in this work to perform and enhance the EFoV for the US images, since the maximum accurate matching points would have been selected. The resulted fused images of these applied methods were evaluated subjectively and objectively. The objective assessment was conducted by calculating the execution time, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), and signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the registered images and the reference image which was fused manually by a physician. The results showed that the cityblock distance has the best result since it has the highest PSNR and SNR in addition to the lowest execution time.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document