Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation
In ultrasound B-mode imaging, the axial resolution (AR) is commonly determined by the duration or bandwidth of an excitation signal. A shorter-duration pulse will produce better resolution compared to a longer one but with compromised penetration depth. Instead of relying on the pulse duration or ba...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Diagnostics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1161 |
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| author | Asraf Mohamed Moubark Luzhen Nie Mohd Hairi Mohd Zaman Mohammad Tariqul Islam Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley Mohd Hafiz Baharuddin Zainab Alomari Steven Freear |
| author_facet | Asraf Mohamed Moubark Luzhen Nie Mohd Hairi Mohd Zaman Mohammad Tariqul Islam Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley Mohd Hafiz Baharuddin Zainab Alomari Steven Freear |
| author_sort | Asraf Mohamed Moubark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In ultrasound B-mode imaging, the axial resolution (AR) is commonly determined by the duration or bandwidth of an excitation signal. A shorter-duration pulse will produce better resolution compared to a longer one but with compromised penetration depth. Instead of relying on the pulse duration or bandwidth to improve the AR, an alternative method termed filtered multiply and sum (FMAS) has been introduced in our previous work. For spatial-compounding, FMAS uses the autocorrelation technique as used in filtered-delay multiply and sum (FDMAS), instead of conventional averaging. FMAS enables a higher frame rate and less computational complexity than conventional plane-wave compound imaging beamformed with delay and sum (DAS) and FDMAS. Moreover, it can provide an improved contrast ratio and AR. In previous work, no explanation was given on how FMAS was able to improve the AR. Thus, in this work, we discuss in detail the theory behind the proposed FMAS algorithm and how it is able to improve the spatial resolution mainly in the axial direction. Simulations, experimental phantom measurements and in vivo studies were conducted to benchmark the performance of the proposed method. We also demonstrate how the suggested new algorithm may be used in a practical biomedical imaging application. The balloon snake active contour segmentation technique was applied to the ultrasound B-mode image of a common carotid artery produced with FMAS. The suggested method is capable of reducing the number of iterations for the snake to settle on the region-of-interest contour, accelerating the segmentation process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:40:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7a316e8276774c4fae7ebce93e31d157 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4418 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:40:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diagnostics |
| spelling | doaj.art-7a316e8276774c4fae7ebce93e31d1572023-11-17T10:35:11ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-03-01136116110.3390/diagnostics13061161Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery SegmentationAsraf Mohamed Moubark0Luzhen Nie1Mohd Hairi Mohd Zaman2Mohammad Tariqul Islam3Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley4Mohd Hafiz Baharuddin5Zainab Alomari6Steven Freear7Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, MalaysiaSchool of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UKDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, MalaysiaDepartment of Communications Engineering, Electronics Engineering College, Ninevah University, Mosul 41002, IraqSchool of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UKIn ultrasound B-mode imaging, the axial resolution (AR) is commonly determined by the duration or bandwidth of an excitation signal. A shorter-duration pulse will produce better resolution compared to a longer one but with compromised penetration depth. Instead of relying on the pulse duration or bandwidth to improve the AR, an alternative method termed filtered multiply and sum (FMAS) has been introduced in our previous work. For spatial-compounding, FMAS uses the autocorrelation technique as used in filtered-delay multiply and sum (FDMAS), instead of conventional averaging. FMAS enables a higher frame rate and less computational complexity than conventional plane-wave compound imaging beamformed with delay and sum (DAS) and FDMAS. Moreover, it can provide an improved contrast ratio and AR. In previous work, no explanation was given on how FMAS was able to improve the AR. Thus, in this work, we discuss in detail the theory behind the proposed FMAS algorithm and how it is able to improve the spatial resolution mainly in the axial direction. Simulations, experimental phantom measurements and in vivo studies were conducted to benchmark the performance of the proposed method. We also demonstrate how the suggested new algorithm may be used in a practical biomedical imaging application. The balloon snake active contour segmentation technique was applied to the ultrasound B-mode image of a common carotid artery produced with FMAS. The suggested method is capable of reducing the number of iterations for the snake to settle on the region-of-interest contour, accelerating the segmentation process.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1161biomedicalultrasound B-mode imagingfiltered multiply and sumfiltered-delay multiply and sumactive contourcommon carotid artery |
| spellingShingle | Asraf Mohamed Moubark Luzhen Nie Mohd Hairi Mohd Zaman Mohammad Tariqul Islam Mohd Asyraf Zulkifley Mohd Hafiz Baharuddin Zainab Alomari Steven Freear Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation Diagnostics biomedical ultrasound B-mode imaging filtered multiply and sum filtered-delay multiply and sum active contour common carotid artery |
| title | Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation |
| title_full | Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation |
| title_fullStr | Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation |
| title_short | Enhancement of Ultrasound B-Mode Image Quality Using Nonlinear Filtered-Multiply-and-Sum Compounding for Improved Carotid Artery Segmentation |
| title_sort | enhancement of ultrasound b mode image quality using nonlinear filtered multiply and sum compounding for improved carotid artery segmentation |
| topic | biomedical ultrasound B-mode imaging filtered multiply and sum filtered-delay multiply and sum active contour common carotid artery |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/6/1161 |
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