Medical diagnostic ultrasonic imaging transmit/receive method and apparatus
AssigneeAcuson Corporation
InventorsAlbert Gee, J. Nelson Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ultrasonic imaging system and method form first and second transmit beams characterized by a complex phase separation angle (e.g. 90°) that differs from an integer multiple of 180° along the same steering angle. First and second backscattered signals are received in response to these transmit beams, and the first and second backscattered signals are combined in a weighted sum. By properly selecting the weighting factors and the separation angle, the resulting combined signal can be provided with various advantageous features, such as a selective reduction in negative frequency components, a selective enhancement of fundamental frequency components, or a selective enhancement of harmonic frequency components.
Claims46
An ultrasonic transmit/receive method suitable for an ultrasonic imaging system, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) forming a first transmit beam characterized by a real portion of a selected complex insonification signal;
- (b) receiving a first backscattered signal in response to the first transmit beam;
- (c) forming a second transmit beam characterized by an imaginary portion of the complex insonification signal;
- (d) receiving a second backscattered signal in response to the second transmit beam;
- (e) combining the first and second backscattered signals.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive method suitable for an ultrasonic imaging method system, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) forming first and second transmit beams characterized by a phase difference of about 90°;
- (b) receiving first and second backscattered signals in response to the first and second transmit beams, respectively;
- and
- (c) combining the first and second backscattered signals.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive system for an ultrasonic imaging system, said transmit/receive system comprising:
- means for forming a first transmit beam characterized by a real portion of a selected complex insonification signal;
- means for receiving a first backscattered signal in response to the first transmit beam;
- means for forming a second transmit beam characterized by an imaginary portion of the complex insonification signal;
- means for receiving a second backscattered signal in response to the second transmit beam;
- means for combining the first and second backscattered signals.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive system for an ultrasonic imaging system, said transmit/receive system comprising:
- means for forming first and second transmit beams characterized by a phase difference of about 90°;
- means for receiving first and second backscattered signals in response to the first and second transmit beams, respectively;
- and
- means for combining the first and second backscattered signals.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive method for an ultrasonic imaging system, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) forming a first transmit beam corresponding to a first component of a complex insonification signal characterized by a first complex phase angle;
- (b) receiving a first backscattered signal in response to the first transmit beam;
- (c) forming a second transmit beam corresponding to a second component the complex insonification signal characterized by a second complex phase angle;
- (d) receiving a second backscattered signal in response to the second transmit beam;
- (e) combining the first and second backscattered signals;
- wherein the first and second complex phase angles are separated by a complex phase separation angle, and wherein the complex phase separation angle differs from an integer multiple of 180° by more than Xo, where X is greater than 1.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive system for an ultrasonic imaging system, said transmit/receive system comprising:
- (a) means for forming a first transmit beam corresponding to a first component of a complex insonification signal characterized by a first complex phase angle;
- (b) means for receiving a first backscattered signal in response to the first transmit beam;
- (c) means for forming a second transmit beam corresponding to a second component the complex insonification signal characterized by a second complex phase angle;
- (d) means for receiving a second backscattered signal in response to the second transmit beam;
- (e) means for combining the first and second backscattered signals;
- wherein the first and second complex phase angles are separated by a complex phase separation angle, and wherein the complex phase separation angle differs from an integer multiple of 180° by more than XO, where X is greater than 1.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive method for an ultrasonic imaging system, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) forming a set of at least three transmit beams corresponding to at least three respective components of a complex insonification signal, each of the transmit beams characterized by a respective complex phase angle;
- (b) receiving at least three backscattered signals in response to the transmit beams;
- and
- (c) combining the at least three backscattered signals;
- wherein the complex phase angles for the transmit beams correspond to at least three different angles.
An ultrasonic transmit/receive method for an ultrasonic imaging system, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) forming a set of at least three transmit beams corresponding to at least three respective components of a complex insonification signal, each of the transmit beams characterized by a respective complex phase angle;
- (b) receiving at least three backscattered signals in response to the transmit beams;
- and
- (c) weighting the backscattered signals;
- and
- (d) combining the weighted backscattered signals;
- wherein the transmit beams of the set are all spatially aligned with one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.