Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging systems with power modulation for contrast and harmonic imaging
First Claim
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1. A method for ultrasonic diagnostic imaging of contrast agents with an array of transducer elements having a face surface opposing a target region and exhibiting a transmit aperture comprising the steps of:
- applying a given level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture when a beam is transmitted normal to the face surface of the array so as develop a desired mode of microbubble behavior at a target region at a given depth; and
applying a level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture which is in excess of said given level when a beam is transmitted at an off-angle to the face surface of the array so as to develop substantially the same mode of microbubble behavior at a target region of equivalent depth.
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Abstract
A method and ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for contrast agent imaging or tissue harmonic imaging is described which modulates the transmit power as a function of the angle of an electronically steered beam or the location of the beam in the scan plane to compensate for the reduction in delivered energy to points in the image field resulting from off-angle steering or a reduction in the number of elements of the transmit aperture.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for ultrasonic diagnostic imaging of contrast agents with an array of transducer elements having a face surface opposing a target region and exhibiting a transmit aperture comprising the steps of:
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applying a given level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture when a beam is transmitted normal to the face surface of the array so as develop a desired mode of microbubble behavior at a target region at a given depth; and
applying a level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture which is in excess of said given level when a beam is transmitted at an off-angle to the face surface of the array so as to develop substantially the same mode of microbubble behavior at a target region of equivalent depth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for ultrasonic diagnostic imaging of contrast agents with an array of transducer elements having a face surface opposing a target region and exhibiting a transmit aperture comprising the steps of:
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applying a given level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture when a beam is transmitted normal to the face surface of the array; and
applying progressively increasing levels of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture as beams are transmitted at increasingly acute angles to the face surface of the array. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for using an array of ultrasonic transducer elements having a face surface opposing a target region and exhibiting a transmit aperture to perform tissue harmonic imaging comprising the steps of:
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applying a given level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture when a beam is transmitted normal to the face surface of the array so as develop a desired harmonic effect at a target region at a given depth; and
applying a level of transmit power to the elements of the transmit aperture which is in excess of said given level when a beam is transmitted at an off-angle to the face surface of the array so as to develop substantially the same harmonic effect at a target region of equivalent depth. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for imaging with contrast agents comprising:
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an array transducer including a plurality of transducer elements; and
a transmitter coupled to individual elements of said array transducer which is adapted to apply levels of transmit power to said elements which vary as a function of the location of the transmit beam in the image plane so as to produce a more uniform harmonic effect at points in an image field of equivalent depth. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for performing tissue harmonic imaging comprising:
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an array transducer including a plurality of transducer elements; and
a transmitter coupled to individual elements of said array transducer which applies levels of transmit power to said elements which vary as a function of the location of the transmit beam in the image plane so as to produce a more uniform harmonic effect at points in an image field of equivalent depth. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system for performing tissue harmonic imaging comprising:
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an array transducer including a plurality of transducer elements which are used to form a plurality of active transmit apertures; and
a transmitter coupled to individual elements of said array transducer which applies levels of transmit power to said elements which vary as a function of the number of elements in the active transmit aperture so as to produce a more uniform harmonic effect at points in an image field of equivalent depth.
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Specification