A novel beamformer design method for medical ultrasound. Part II: Simulation results

Abstract

In the first part of this work, we introduced the minimum sum squared error (MSSE) technique of ultrasound beamformer design. This technique enables the optimal design of apertures to achieve arbitrary system responses. In the MSSE technique, aperture weights are calculated and applied to minimize the sum squared error (SSE) between the desired and actual system responses. In this paper, we present the results of simulations performed to illustrate the implementation and validity of the MSSE technique. Continuous wave (CW) and broadband simulations are presented to demonstrate the application of the MSSE method to obtain arbitrary system responses (within fundamental physical limitations of the system). We also describe CW and broadband simulations that implement the MSSE method for improved conventional depth of field (DOF) and for improved correlation DOF in translated aperture geometries. Using the MSSE technique, we improved the conventional DOF by more than 200% in CW simulations and more than 100% in broadband simulations. The correlation DOF in translated aperture geometries was improved by more than 700% in both CW and broadband simulations.