High-Contrast and -Resolution 3-D Ultrasonography with a Clinical Linear Transducer Array Scanned in a Rotate-Translate Geometry
We proposed a novel solution for volumetric ultrasound imaging using single-side access 3-D synthetic aperture scanning of a clinical linear array. This solution is based on an advanced scanning geometry and a software-based ultrasound platform. The rotate-translate scanning scheme increases the ele...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/2/493 |
| Summary: | We proposed a novel solution for volumetric ultrasound imaging using single-side access 3-D synthetic aperture scanning of a clinical linear array. This solution is based on an advanced scanning geometry and a software-based ultrasound platform. The rotate-translate scanning scheme increases the elevation angular aperture by pivoting the array (−45° to 45°) around its array axis (axis along the row of its elements) and then scans the imaged object for each pivoted angle by translating the array perpendicularly to the rotation axis. A theoretical basis is presented so that the angular and translational scan sampling periods can be best adjusted for any linear transducer array. We experimentally implemented scanning with a 5-MHz array. In vitro characterization was performed with phantoms designed to test resolution and contrast. Spatial resolution assessed based on the full-width half-maximum of images from isolated microspheres was increased by a factor of 3 along the translational direction from a simple translation scan of the array. Moreover, the resolution was uniform over a cross-sectional area of 4.5 cm<sup>2</sup>. Angular sampling periods were optimized and tapered to decrease the scan duration while maintaining image contrast (contrast at the center of a 5-mm cyst on the order of −26 dB for 4° angular period and a scan duration of 10 s for a 9-cm<sup>3</sup> volume). We demonstrated that superior 3-D ultrasound imaging can be obtained with a clinical array using our scanning strategy. This technique offers a promising and flexible alternative to development of costly matrix arrays toward the development of sensitive volumetric ultrasonography. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-3417 |