Differentiable Beamforming for Adaptive Ultrasound Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ultrasound imaging technologies rely on static assumptions for imaging parameters such as sound speed, element positions, and tissue deformation, which can lead to degraded image quality when these assumptions are violated.

Innovation Solution

A differentiable formulation of the beamforming pipeline is introduced to optimize critical imaging parameters, allowing for improved image quality and quantitative estimation of imaging system quantities. This approach involves formulating image reconstruction as a differentiable function of physical imaging parameters and optimizing it using focusing quality metrics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If static assumptions for imaging parameters (sound speed, element positions, tissue deformation) are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but image quality deteriorates when these assumptions are violated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the static beamforming pipeline into a dynamic, adaptive system that automatically optimizes imaging parameters (sound speed, element positions, tissue deformation) during the imaging process. The differentiable beamformer enables real-time adjustment of these parameters based on actual tissue characteristics, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and image quality by making the system self-adapting rather than requiring manual recalibration or complex preprocessing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-optimization by automatically estimating and adjusting imaging parameters without external intervention. The differentiable beamforming framework enables the system to self-correct for tissue heterogeneity, element position variations, and deformation effects by formulating image reconstruction as a differentiable function of these parameters and optimizing them automatically, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving image quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If adaptive optimization of imaging parameters is implemented, then image quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical or manual adjustment mechanisms with a computational differentiable optimization framework. Instead of requiring physical recalibration or complex hardware modifications, the system uses gradient-based optimization through the differentiable beamforming pipeline to adaptively adjust imaging parameters, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining image quality improvement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system optimizes imaging parameters by formulating the beamforming process as a differentiable function and using gradient descent to automatically adjust parameters such as sound speed, element positions, and tissue deformation. This parameter-based optimization approach avoids the need for complex hardware modifications or manual interventions, achieving image quality improvement with minimal increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If differentiable beamforming with parameter optimization is used, then quantitative estimation accuracy is improved, but computational time and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantitative estimation accuracyVSAvoidcomputational time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The differentiable beamforming framework enables continuous optimization of imaging parameters throughout the image reconstruction process. By formulating the beamforming pipeline as a differentiable computation graph, the system can continuously adjust parameters and compute gradients without discrete interruptions, improving quantitative estimation accuracy while managing computational time through efficient gradient-based optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary formulation of the beamforming pipeline as a differentiable function, preparing the computational framework in advance. This preliminary setup enables efficient gradient computation and parameter optimization during reconstruction, reducing the computational burden during actual imaging while maintaining high quantitative estimation accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250072870A1Adaptive Acoustic Imaging with Differentiable Beamforming

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIV

AI summary

A method of ultrasound imaging includes a) performing a pulse-echo acquisition to produce channel signals using ultrasound transducers; b) processing transmitted and received channel signals to produce a dataset of a set of transmit elements and a set of receive elements; c) calculating an estimate of a critical imaging parameter; d) performing beamforming using the dataset and the estimate of the critical imaging parameter; e) calculating a desired loss function minimized with respect to the critical imaging parameter; f) differentiating the calculated loss function with respect to the critical imaging parameter by backpropagation; g) updating the estimate of the critical imaging parameter; h) repeating steps (d)-(g) until a convergence condition is satisfied; and i) generating an enhanced ultrasound image using the estimate of the critical imaging parameter.