Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus Multi-Frequency Pulse Echo Combination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasonic diagnostic techniques using the contrast echo method have limited sensitivity due to the destruction of microbubbles by transmitted ultrasonic pulses and difficulty in visualizing blood flow contrast images, especially in deep regions, as only bubbles resonant with the frequency of the pulses contribute to visualization, while tissue harmonic components interfere with bubble echo visualization.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method that transmit multiple ultrasonic pulses with different frequency spectra and combine their echoes to generate a signal that enhances bubble echo strength while suppressing tissue echo strength, allowing for improved visualization of bubbles with different radii and reducing motion artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ultrasonic pulses with constant frequency are used for imaging, then the visualization utilizes only bubbles resonant with the transmitted frequency, but the sensitivity is insufficient because only some bubbles contribute to the image
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging process is segmented into multiple frequency components. Instead of using a single frequency pulse, the system transmits multiple ultrasonic pulses with different frequency spectra (including fundamental frequency and harmonic frequencies) to excite bubbles of different sizes, thereby segmenting the resonance coverage across multiple frequency bands to improve overall visualization sensitivity
Solution Approach 2:
The frequency parameter of the ultrasonic pulses is changed across multiple transmission pulses. By varying the frequency spectrum of transmitted pulses to include both fundamental and harmonic frequencies, the system adapts to resonate with bubbles of different radii, thereby improving the proportion of bubbles that contribute to the image
2Measurement precision
If high intensity ultrasonic pulses are used for imaging, then the signal strength increases, but the microbubbles are destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous imaging capability by using multiple frequency pulses that collectively provide sufficient signal strength without requiring any single pulse to be destructively intense. The combination of fundamental and harmonic frequency pulses ensures continuous bubble contribution to the image
Solution Approach 2:
The intensity parameter is managed by distributing the energy across multiple frequency components rather than concentrating it in a single high-intensity pulse. This allows the system to achieve sufficient signal strength through cumulative effect while keeping individual pulse intensities below the destruction threshold
3Measurement precision
If second harmonic components are used for visualization, then nonlinear components are enhanced, but tissue harmonic components are also visualized making it difficult to see blood flow contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and utilizes both fundamental frequency components and harmonic frequency components from the received echoes. By processing both frequency ranges and combining them appropriately, the system separates the useful bubble echo information from the harmful tissue harmonic interference, thereby improving blood flow contrast visualization
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging approach uses a composite signal composition that includes both fundamental frequency echoes and harmonic frequency echoes. By combining these different frequency component signals, the system creates a composite image that enhances bubble contrast while suppressing tissue interference
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases the sensitivity of bubble echo recognition, reduces tissue echo interference, and decreases the intensity of vertical lines in ultrasonographic images, leading to clearer visualization of blood vessels and improved contrast enhancement.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating ultrasonic pulses into the object from piezoelectric transducers (ultrasonic transducers) included in an ultrasonic probe, receiving ultrasonic echoes generated in the object with the piezoelectric transducers
Implementation Method 2
nonlinear components of the ultrasonic echoes reflected from the microbubbles as the contrast medium, are used for visualization
Implementation Method 3
the signal strength of the nonlinear components included in the ultrasonic echoes strongly depends on the radiuses of the bubbles. That is, since the resonant frequencies of the bubbles differ depending on the radiuses thereof
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a first reception echo obtaining unit, a second reception echo obtaining unit, a reception echo combining unit, and an image generating unit. The first reception echo obtaining unit transmits a plurality of ultrasonic pulses having frequency spectra different from one another to an object, and obtains each of reception echoes corresponding to the plurality of ultrasonic pulses. The second reception echo obtaining unit transmits an ultrasonic pulse having the same frequency component characteristics as an combined pulse obtained by combining the plurality of ultrasonic pulses, and to obtain an reception echo. The reception echo combining unit combines the reception echoes obtained by the first reception echo obtaining unit and the reception echo obtained by the second reception echo obtaining unit to generate a combined signal. The image generating unit generates an image of echoes reflected from the object on the basis of the combined signal.