Multi-element Synthetic Aperture Research Articles

Row Transmission for High Volume-Rate Ultrasound Imaging With a Matrix Array.

The widely used Vermon 1024-element matrix array for 3-D ultrasound imaging has three blank rows in the elevational direction, which breaks the elevation periodicity, thus degrading volumetric image quality. To bypass the blank rows in elevation while maintaining the steering capability in azimuth, we proposed a row-transmission (RT) scheme to improve 3-D spatial resolution. Specifically, we divided the full array into four apertures, each with multiple rows along the elevation. Each multirow aperture (MRA) was further divided into subapertures to transmit diverging waves (DWs) sequentially. Coherent DW compounding (CDWC) was realized in azimuth, while the elevation was multielement synthetic aperture (M-SA) imaging by regarding each row as an array of dashed line elements. An in-house spatiotemporal coding strategy, cascaded synthetic aperture (CaSA), was incorporated into the RT scheme as RT-CaSA to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We compared the proposed RT with conventional bank-by-bank transmission-reception (Bank) and sparse-random-aperture compounding (SRAC) in a wire phantom and the in vivo human abdominal aorta (AA) to assess the performance of anatomical imaging and aortic wall motion estimation. Phantom results demonstrated superior lateral resolution achieved by our RT scheme (+19.52% and +16.88% versus Bank, +15.32% and +19.72% versus SRAC, in the azimuth-depth and elevation-depth planes, respectively). Our RT-CaSA showed excellent contrast ratios (CRs) (+8.19 and +8.08 dB versus Bank, +6.81 and +5.85 dB versus SRAC, +0.99 and +0.90 dB versus RT) and the highest in vivo aortic wall motion estimation accuracy. The RT scheme was demonstrated to have potential for various matrix array-based 3-D imaging research.

Compressed sensing approach for CMUT sparse array in multi-element synthetic transmit aperture

In order to improve the imaging quality of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) sparse array, the authors propose an imaging strategy combining multi-element synthetic transmit aperture (MSTA) imaging mode and compressed sensing (CS) framework. The imaging strategy consists of four steps: First, use the genetic algorithm (GA) to sparse the CMUT array and obtain the position of the receiving active array elements. Second, the CMUT sub-arrays are used to transmit ultrasonic signal in turn, and the sparse array obtained in the first step is used to receive ultrasonic echoes. Third, the received under-sampling channel data are used to recover the full channel data with the CS reconstruction algorithm. Finally, an MSTA image is beamformed from the recovered full channel data. This imaging strategy is called MSTA-CS mode. Due to the efficient sparse recovery capability of CS technology, the MSTA-CS imaging strategy not only reduces the number of transmitting hardware channels, but also improves the imaging clarity of CMUT sparse array. Both the Field II simulation and the breast phantom experiments demonstrate that the MSTA-CS mode achieves higher contrast and structural similarity under the same receiving sparse array conditions. • In this paper, Multi-element Synthetic Transmit Aperture (MSTA) method is used in ultrasound imaging of CMUT sparse array, this method reduces the number of transmitting hardware channels. • Under the condition of lateral under-sampling of CMUT sparse array, the closed array elements echoes data are recovered by using compressed sensing framework. • Take the full array imaging results as the standard, and verify the compressed sensing theory through breast phantom experiments.

Multi-Element Synthetic Aperture Focusing Three-Dimensional Ultrasonic Imaging

In the field of industrial non-destructive testing, the three-dimensional imaging technology of ultrasonic testing can intuitively represent the three-dimensional spatial characteristics of defects, making it convenient for non-destructive testing personnel to make accurate judgments on the internal defect information of the tested workpiece. This article conducts a comprehensive study on multi element synthetic aperture focused ultrasound imaging. Based on the radiation theory of sound field, the sound pressure distribution of multi element aperture was derived, and the sound field and defect response of single element, multi element focused, and multi element unfocused were simulated. It was found that multi element unfocused sound field is more suitable for synthetic aperture focused ultrasound imaging. The results indicate that in far-field conditions, multi element synthetic aperture focused ultrasound imaging can achieve higher imaging quality and resolution than single element synthetic aperture focused imaging.

Research on the Multi-Element Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique in Breast Ultrasound Imaging, Based on the Ring Array.

As a widely clinical detection method, ultrasonography (US) has been applied to the diagnosis of breast cancer. In this paper, the multi-element synthetic aperture focusing (M-SAF) is applied to the ring array of breast ultrasonography (US) imaging, which addresses the problem of low imaging quality due to the single active element for each emission and the reception in the synthetic aperture focusing. In order to determine the optimal sub-aperture size, the formula is derived for calculating the internal sound pressure of the ring array with a 200 mm diameter, and the sound pressure distribution is analyzed. The ring array with 1024 elements (1024 ring array) is established in COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6, and the optimal sub-aperture size is 16 elements, according to the sound field beam simulation and the directivity research. Based on the existing experimental conditions, the ring array with 256 elements (256 ring array) is simulated and verified by experiments. The simulation has a spatial resolution evaluation in the k-Wave toolbox, and the experiment uses nylon rope and breast model imaging. The results show that if the sub-aperture size has four elements, the imaging quality is the highest. Specifically, the spatial resolution is the best, and the sound pressure amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are maintained at a high level in the reconstructed image. The optimal sub-aperture theory is verified by the two kinds of ring arrays, which also provide a theoretical basis for the application of the multi-element synthetic aperture focusing technology (M-SAF) in ring arrays.

Noninvasive carotid artery elastography using multielement synthetic aperture imaging: Phantom and in vivo evaluation.

Vascular elastography can visualize the strain distribution in the carotid artery, which could be useful in assessing the propensity of advanced plaques to rupture. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that sparse synthetic aperture (SA) imaging can produce high quality vascular strain elastograms. However, the low output power of SA imaging may hamper its clinical utility. In this study, we hypothesize that multi-element defocused emissions can overcome this limitation and improve the quality of the vascular strain elastograms. To assess the impact of attenuation on the elastographic performance of SA and (multi-element synthetic aperture) MSA imaging, we conducted experiments using heterogeneous vessel phantoms with ideal (0.1 dB cm-1 MHz-1 ) and realistic (0.75 dB cm-1 MHz-1 ) attenuation. Further, we validated the results of the phantom study in vivo, on a healthy male volunteer. All echo imaging was performed at a transmit frequency of 5 MHz, using a commercially available ultrasound scanner (Sonix RP, Ultrasonix Medical Corp., Richmond, BC, Canada). The results from the phantom results demonstrated that plaques were visible in all strain elastograms, but those produced using MSA imaging had less artifacts. MSA imaging improved the elastographic contrast to noise ratio (CNRe) of the vascular elastograms by 14.58 dB relative to SA imaging, and 9.1 dB relative to compounded plane wave (CPW) imaging. Further, the results demonstrated that the elastographic performance of MSA imaging improved with increase in (a) the number of transmit-receive events and (b) the size of the transmit sub-aperture, up to 13 elements. Using larger sub-apertures degraded the elastographic performance. The results from the in vivo study were in good agreement with the phantom results. Specifically, using a defocused multi-element transmit sub-aperture for SA imaging improved the performance of vascular elastography. The results suggested that MSA imaging can produce reliable vascular stain elastograms. Future studies will involve using coded excitations to improve the CNRe and frame-rate of the proposed technique for vascular elastography.

Non-invasive carotid artery elastography using multi-element synthetic aperture and plane wave imaging: Phantom and in vivo evaluation

Vascular elastography can visualize the strain distribution in the carotid artery, which governs plaque rupture. In this study, we hypothesize that multi-element synthetic aperture (MSA) imaging, which produces divergent transmit beams can overcome the grating lobes issues associated with compounded plane wave (CPW) imaging, and produce more reliable strain elastograms. To corroborate this hypothesis, we conducted phantom and in vivo studies using both the techniques, and determined the most optimal imaging configuration for carotid elastography. The phantom studies were conducted using cryogel vessel phantoms. We validated the phantom study results in vivo, on healthy volunteers. These studies were performed using a commercially ultrasound scanner (Sonix RP, Ultrasonix Medical Corp., Richmond, BC, Canada), operating at a transmit frequency of 5 MHz. The phantom results demonstrated that the plaque was visible in elastograms from both techniques; however, MSA elastograms had fewer artifacts, with a 12 dB improvement in elastographic contrast to noise ratio relative to CPW imaging. Further, the results from the in vivo study agreed with the phantom results. These results suggest that MSA imaging can produce useful strain elastograms. Our future work will involve further development and more in vivo validation.

Ultrasonic Synthetic Apertures: Review

Abstract In the paper the concept of synthetic aperture used for high resolution/high frame rate ultrasonic imaging is reviewed. The synthetic aperture technique allows building extended “virtual” apertures, synthesized from smaller real aperture resulting in improved lateral resolution along full penetration depth without sacrificing the frame rate. Especially, four methods, synthetic aperture focusing (SAF), multi-element synthetic aperture focusing (M-SAF), synthetic receive aperture (SRA) and synthetic transmit aperture (STA) are addressed. The effective aperture function, describing two-way, far field radiation is a useful tool in beam pattern analysis. Some basic notations, which are used to calculate the effective aperture are introduced in Appendix.

Method and architecture to accelerate multi-element synthetic aperture imaging

Multi-element synthetic aperture focusing (n-SAF) methods have been proposed as a suitable way to reduce cost and size for complex ultrasonic imaging systems. In this method, the larger the sub-aperture, the better the image contrast. However, when the number n of elements in the sub-aperture increases, some problems arise due to the great number of signals involved in the beamforming process, demanding a more complex electronic architecture, a higher bandwidth to manage the signals, and a greater computational power to compose the images in real time. This paper presents the n-SAF method in combination with a data reduction algorithm that reduces the number of signals intervening in the image data processing. The proposed method, called nR-SAF, simplifies the beamforming process; the hardware adds all signals in phase from identical coarray elements (similar spatial frequencies) thus a reduction of approximately 2/n of the data intervening in the dynamical focusing process is attained. The phase errors due to the simplified algorithms are also analyzed. We concluded that there are some limitations for sub-aperture size when image points are very near the transducer. Finally, an electronic architecture is presented, which is able to implement high velocity images from nR-SAF methods.

Optimization of the Multi-element Synthetic Transmit Aperture Method for Medical Ultrasound Imaging Applications

The paper presents the optimization problem for the multi-element synthetic transmit aperture method (MSTA) in ultrasound imaging applications. The optimal choice of the transmit aperture size is made as a trade-off between the lateral resolution, penetration depth and the frame rate. Results of the analysis obtained by a developed optimization algorithm are presented. The maximum penetration depth and lateral resolution at given depths are chosen as optimization criteria. The results of numerical experiments carried out in MATLABr using synthetic aperture data of point reflectors obtained by the FIELD II simulation program are presented. The visualization of experimental synthetic aperture data of a tissue mimicking phantom and in vitro measurements of the beef liver performed using the SonixTOUCH Research system are also shown.

Multi-element synthetic aperture focusing photoacoustic imaging system with real-time digital beamformer technique

Photoacoustic imaging takes the merits of simultaneous high optical contrast and low acoustical scattering, and has been proven to be a potential tool for noninvasive diagnosis of cancer tumors in an early stage. An integrated prototype multi-element synthetic aperture focusing photoacoustic imaging system using real-time digital beamformer (96 scan lines of each frame image) is designed, fabricated and tested. The combined system with multi-channel signal acquisition and real-time digital beam-formation module implements real-time dynamic receiving focus and apodization technique to process the photoacoustic signal, which is captured by a 128-element linear ultrasonic transducer array. The data acquisition and synthesis time can be accelerated in less than 4 s of each view without data average. The in vivo experiments were performed with a clear view of the blood vessels network of mouse tumor. The results demonstrate that the multi-element synthetic aperture focusing photoacoustic imaging system with real-time digital beamformer technique has the potential in the practical fast photoacoustic imaging for clinical diagnosis.

Multi-Element Synthetic Transmit Aperture in Medical Ultrasound Imaging

Synthetic aperture (SA) technique is a novel approach to present day commercial systems and has previously not been used in medical ultrasound imaging. The basic idea of SA is to combine information acquired simultaneously from all directions over a number of emissions and to reconstruct the full image from these data. The paper presents the multi-element STA (MSTA) method for medical ultrasound imaging. The main difference with the STA approach is the use of a few elements in the transmit mode in contrast to a single element aperture. This allows increasing the system frame rate, decreasing the number of emissions, and provides the best compromise between the penetration depth and lateral resolution. Besides, a modified MSTA is proposed with a corresponding RF signal correction in the receive mode, which accounts for the element directivity property. In the experiments a 32-element linear transducer array with 0.48 mm inter-element spacing and a burst pulse of 100 ns duration were used. Two elements wide transmission aperture was used to generate an ultrasound wave covering the full image region. The comparison of 2D ultrasound images of a tissue mimicking phantom obtained using the STA and MSTA methods is presented to demonstrate the benefits of the second one.

Adaptive multi-element synthetic aperture imaging with motion and phase aberration correction

Multi-element synthetic aperture techniques employing subaperture processing over successive firing steps can produce good image quality with simple front-end hardware but are susceptible to motion and phase aberration artifacts. We explore correlation processing using fully common spatial frequencies of overlapping subapertures to adapt beamforming for motion and phase aberrations. Signals derived from the subset of elements representing common spatial frequencies exhibit significantly higher correlation coefficients than those from signals computed using the entire subaperture. In addition, the correlation coefficient decreases linearly with subaperture separation for complete subaperture signals, but remains nearly constant with subaperture separation if only common spatial frequencies are used. Adaptive multi-element synthetic aperture imaging with correlation processing using fully common spatial frequencies is tested on experimental RF data acquired from a diffuse scattering phantom using a 3.5 MHz, 128-element transducer array. The results indicate that common spatial frequencies can be used efficiently for correlation processing to correct motion and phase aberration for adaptive multi-element synthetic aperture imaging.

Synthetic aperture imaging for small scale systems

Multi-element synthetic aperture imaging methods suitable for applications with severe cost and size limitations are explored. Array apertures are synthesized using an active multi-element receive subaperture and a multi-element transmit subaperture defocused to emulate a single-element spatial response with high acoustic power. Echo signals are recorded independently by individual elements of the receive subaperture. Each method uses different spatial frequencies and acquisition strategies for imaging, and therefore different sets of active transmit/receive element combinations. Following acquisition, image points are reconstructed using the complete data set with full dynamic focus on both transmit and receive. Various factors affecting image quality have been evaluated and compared to conventional imagers through measurements with a 3.5 MHz, 128-element transducer array on different gel phantoms. Multielement synthetic aperture methods achieve higher electronic signal to noise ratio and better contrast resolution than conventional synthetic aperture techniques, approaching conventional phased array performance.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Synthetic aperture imaging using a lagrange based filtering technique

Synthetic aperture imaging using a catheter based, circular phased array providing high resolution, dynamic focusing has been explored. Due to the high input impedance and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a classic single element synthetic aperture system, multi-element synthetic aperture processing has been proposed with SNR improvement of about 8 dB for a 33 element aperture. Reconstruction in this case uses an optimal filtering approach based on minimizing the mean square error between filter output and desired beam pattern. This approach, however, does not directly control both mainlobe beamwidth and sidelobe levels. To overcome this problem, a Lagrange based filter design technique has been developed that not only satisfies the minimum energy criterion, but also constrains sidelobe levels under a certain threshold. The new technique provides better spatial and contrast resolution. Both the mathematical formulation and simulation results are presented.

Synthetic aperture imaging using a Lagrange based filtering technique.

Synthetic aperture imaging using a catheter based, circular phased array providing high resolution, dynamic focusing has been explored. Due to the high input impedance and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a classic single element synthetic aperture system, multi-element synthetic aperture processing has been proposed with SNR improvement of about 8 dB for a 33 element aperture. Reconstruction in this case uses an optimal filtering approach based on minimizing the mean square error between filter output and desired beam pattern. This approach, however, does not directly control both mainlobe beamwidth and sidelobe levels. To overcome this problem, a Lagrange based filter design technique has been developed that not only satisfies the minimum energy criterion, but also constrains sidelobe levels under a certain threshold. The new technique provides better spatial and contrast resolution. Both the mathematical formulation and simulation results are presented.