Ultrasound imaging with synthetic transmit focusing
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- a transducer array including a multiplicity of transducer elements for transmitting wave energy in response to electrical activation and transducing returned wave energy into electrical signals;
a transmitter coupled to said transducer array and programmed to activate a plurality of said transducer elements to transmit wave energy focused at first and second focal points during first and second transmit events respectively;
a receiver programmed to respectively form first and second receive signals from electrical signals supplied from said plurality of transducer elements subsequent to said first and second transmit events respectively;
a segment processor for applying a weighting function to portions of said first and second receive signals returned from range points along a range segment lying between said first and second focal points to form first and second weighted receive signals, and then for combining said first and second weighted receive signals to form a combined receive signal; and
a subsystem for displaying an image having an image portion which is a function of at least said combined receive signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging of biological tissue using synthetic transmit focusing is performed by forming a combined echo signal at a target range from two transmit events: one with the focal point located at a depth less than the target range depth and the other with the focal point located at a depth greater than the target range depth. In the target range segment lying between the two focal points, the two echo signals are combined by applying weighting factors that are determined as a function of the target range location along the range segment defined by the two transmit focal points. A first weighting factor applied to a first echo signal derived from a first transmit focused at a first focal point has a maximum (i.e., unity) at the first focal point and decreases with increasing distance from the first focal point (decreasing to zero at the second focal point). A second weighting factor applied to a second echo signal derived from a second transmit focused at a second focal point has a value equal to unity minus the first weighting factor.
98 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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a transducer array including a multiplicity of transducer elements for transmitting wave energy in response to electrical activation and transducing returned wave energy into electrical signals; a transmitter coupled to said transducer array and programmed to activate a plurality of said transducer elements to transmit wave energy focused at first and second focal points during first and second transmit events respectively; a receiver programmed to respectively form first and second receive signals from electrical signals supplied from said plurality of transducer elements subsequent to said first and second transmit events respectively; a segment processor for applying a weighting function to portions of said first and second receive signals returned from range points along a range segment lying between said first and second focal points to form first and second weighted receive signals, and then for combining said first and second weighted receive signals to form a combined receive signal; and a subsystem for displaying an image having an image portion which is a function of at least said combined receive signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An imaging system comprising:
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a transducer array including a multiplicity of transducer elements for transmitting wave energy centered in response to electrical activation and transducing returned wave energy into analog electrical signals; a multiplicity of analog-to-digital converters for converting said analog electrical signals into digital electrical signals; a display monitor for displaying an image having an image portion which is a function of an image signal; and a computer programmed to perform the following steps of; (a) activating transducer elements of said array to transmit wave energy focused at first and second focal points during first and second transmit events respectively; (b) forming first and second receive signals from electrical signals produced by said transducer elements subsequent to said first and second transmit events, respectively; (c) applying a weighting function to portions of said first and second receive signals returned from range points along a range segment lying between said first and second focal points to form first and second weighted receive signals; (d) combining said first and second weighted receive signals to form a combined receive signal; (e) forming an image signal derived at least in part from said combined receive signal; and (f) sending said image signal to said display monitor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating an imaging system, said system comprising a multiplicity of transducer elements for transmitting wave energy in response to electrical activation and for transducing returned wave energy into electrical signals, and a display monitor for displaying an image having an image portion which is a function of an image signal, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) activating transducer elements of said array to transmit wave energy focused at first and second focal points during first and second transmit events, respectively; (b) forming first and second receive signals from electrical signals produced by said transducer elements subsequent to said first and second transmit events respectively; (c) applying a weighting function to portions of said first and second receive signals returned from range points along a range segment lying between said first and second focal points to form first and second weighted receive signals; (d) combining said first and second weighted receive signals to form a combined receive signal; (e) forming an image signal derived at least in part from said combined receive signal; and (f) sending said image signal to said display monitor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification