Ultrasound Filtering and Apodization for Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultrasound imaging systems, particularly intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), face challenges in achieving high axial and lateral resolution, which limits the detail and precision in diagnosing and treating vascular conditions, such as plaque morphology, due to artifacts like side lobes and Gibbs ringing.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a combination of filters and apodizations, including whitened filtering and apodization, to generate ultrasound images with improved axial and lateral resolution by emphasizing center and off-center frequencies, and using minimum intensity projection to minimize artifacts, thereby enhancing image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional filtering and apodization are used to generate ultrasound images, then image contrast is maximized, but axial and lateral resolution are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image generation process into multiple processing pathways, each applying different filtering and apodization combinations. One pathway emphasizes axial resolution while another emphasizes lateral resolution, allowing the system to selectively combine results to minimize artifacts while maintaining high resolution in both dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes processing parameters by applying different filtering techniques (e.g., whitened filtering vs. conventional filtering) and apodization functions (e.g., different window functions) to generate multiple image datasets. By varying these parameters across different processing pathways, the system optimizes for different resolution aspects and then combines them to reduce artifacts.
2Measurement precision
If resolution is increased to reveal more plaque morphology details, then diagnostic precision improves, but image artifacts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step where multiple image datasets generated with different filtering and apodization parameters are combined using a minimum intensity projection algorithm. This intermediary combination process acts as a mediator that preserves the high-resolution details from individual datasets while eliminating or reducing artifacts that appear across multiple processing pathways.
3Measurement precision
If multiple filtering and apodization combinations are applied to improve resolution, then image quality increases, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple processing pathways that apply different filtering and apodization combinations into a unified image generation process. By combining the results from these parallel pathways using minimum intensity projection, the system achieves high resolution in both axial and lateral dimensions while managing processing complexity through efficient algorithmic integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound imaging system may include an array of acoustic elements and a processor circuit. The array may be configured to transmit ultrasound energy and receive echoes. The processor circuit may be configured to generate first image data based on a first filtering and apodization of ultrasound signals associated with the received echoes and to generate second image data based on a second filtering and apodization of the ultrasound signals. The first image data is associated with a first resolution, and the second image data is associated with a second resolution. The processor circuit may be configured to generate an ultrasound image based on the first and second image data such that the ultrasound image includes a different, third resolution, where each of the first. second, and third resolution includes a respective axial and a respective lateral resolution, and to output the ultrasound image to a display.