V-Wave Ultrasound Beamforming with Split Arrays for High Frame Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound imaging systems face challenges in achieving faster frame rates and accurate detection of tissue movements, particularly for imaging blood flows and heart diseases, with conventional methods like planewave beamforming being limited by reduced frame rates and signal-to-noise ratios.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of V-wave beamforming using a transducer array design where half of the elements transmit local coherent waves in opposing directions, combined with specific beamforming and processing methods to enhance image quality and speed, including frequency filtering and coherent compounding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If planewave beamforming is used to achieve fast frame rates, then productivity is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer array is divided into two sub-arrays that transmit waves in opposite directions. Each sub-array independently transmits planar waves, allowing the system to maintain high frame rates while improving signal-to-noise ratio through coherent compounding of the two directions. This segmentation enables parallel transmission that doubles the effective sampling rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the signals from both sub-arrays transmitting in opposite directions through coherent compounding. By merging the information from both directions, the system achieves improved signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining the high frame rate capability of planewave beamforming.
2Reliability
If focused beam data acquisition is used to improve signal-to-noise ratio, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic transmission of planar waves from two sub-arrays in opposite directions. By alternating or simultaneously transmitting from both sub-arrays, the system achieves frequent sampling (high frame rate) while the coherent compounding of periodic transmissions improves signal-to-noise ratio.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional single-element transmission is used to reduce device complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transducer array is segmented into two independent sub-arrays that can transmit simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel data acquisition that doubles the frame rate compared to single-element transmission, while the overall device complexity remains manageable through systematic design.
Solution Approach 2:
The two sub-arrays transmit continuously in opposite directions, ensuring that the imaging volume is continuously illuminated. This continuous action from multiple elements simultaneously maintains high productivity without requiring complex sequential switching mechanisms.
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
V-wave beamforming achieves twice the frame rate of conventional planewave systems while maintaining or improving image quality and signal-to-noise ratio, particularly suitable for imaging tissues in motion and rapid blood flows.
Implementation Method 1
a transducer that includes an array of transducer elements
Implementation Method 2
coherent compounding
Implementation Method 3
accurate detection of the speed and direction of tissue movements
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasound system includes: a V-wave ultrasound data acquisition system with a transducer that includes an array of transducer elements, the array of transducer elements including a first sub-array and a second sub-array; a V-wave ultrasound beamformer to receive ultrasound beams from the V-wave ultrasound data acquisition system and generate ultrasound images; and an ultrasound image display to render the ultrasound images locally or transmit the images over internet.