Ultrasound Aperture Compounding via Sub-Array Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasound imaging is hindered by speckle noise, which reduces interpretable detail and contrast, and existing methods like spatial compounding require physical movement of the probe, leading to slower imaging and potential image degradation.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasound system divides the transducer array into sub-arrays with independent beamformers, allowing for aperture compounding by spatially separating the sub-apertures to decorrelate point spread functions, reducing speckle without the need for physical probe movement, and maintains high-resolution imaging through coherent summation of signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If spatial compounding is used to reduce speckle noise, then image quality is improved, but imaging speed decreases due to requiring multiple transmit events and physical probe movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transducer array into multiple sub-arrays, each capable of independent beamforming. This segmentation allows simultaneous acquisition of multiple sub-aperture images without physical probe movement, resolving the contradiction between image quality improvement through compounding and imaging speed maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of moving the probe in physical space to achieve different viewing angles, the patent uses electronic beamforming to create virtual sub-apertures from different portions of the transducer array. This dimensional transition from physical movement to electronic spatial separation enables speckle reduction while maintaining high frame rates.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If spatial compounding with physical probe movement is used, then speckle is reduced, but image degradation may occur due to movement between frames
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical probe movement system with an electronic beamforming system. By using independent beamformers for each sub-array, the system achieves spatial compounding without physical movement, eliminating the risk of image degradation from movement while maintaining speckle reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs beamforming operations on received signals from multiple sub-arrays simultaneously before image reconstruction. This preliminary electronic processing ensures consistent spatial sampling across all sub-apertures, preventing the misalignment and degradation issues that arise from physical probe movement between frames.
3Measurement precision
If the full transducer array is used for imaging, then high resolution is achieved, but speckle noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the full transducer array into multiple sub-arrays that are used for parallel beamforming. By combining images from these sub-apertures through compounding, the system maintains the resolution benefits of the full array while reducing speckle noise through the diversity of independent sub-aperture point spread functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the imaging contributions from multiple sub-arrays through coherent summation and compounding operations. This combining approach allows the system to achieve both high resolution (from the full array aperture) and reduced speckle (from the diversity of sub-aperture views) simultaneously.
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 effectively reduces speckle noise while maintaining high-resolution images at a high frame rate, improving image quality and efficiency without the limitations of physical probe movement.
Implementation Method 1
maintains high-resolution imaging through coherent summation of signals
Data Source
AI summary
Systems that include an array of ultrasound transducers divided into two or more sub-arrays where for example, a one or two dimensional array, with a long axis in a lateral direction, may be divided in half. The system may include a different beamformer for each sub-array. Each sub-array may define independent and spatially separated sub-apertures. The spatial separation of the two sub-apertures allows for aperture compounding to reduce speckle because the received ultrasound waves at each sub-aperture are propagating in a different direction with respect to each other. This may allow the point spread function for the ultrasound signals corresponding to each sub-aperture to be decorrelated for reducing speckle. The speckle can be reduced by averaging the ultrasound signal from each of the sub-apertures, and a higher resolution can be maintained by also using the signal from the full aperture.