Apodization methods and apparatus for acoustic phased array aperture for diagnostic medical ultrasound transducer

In a medical ultrasound probe subasssembly, the improvement comprising a backing block having a gradient in acoustic impedance that changes as a function of elevation or azimuth, the backing block reducing elevation side lobe image artifacts displayed on a display device.

In a medical ultrasound probe subassembly, the improvement comprising a backing block having a gradient in acoustic impedance that changes as a function of elevation or azimuth, the backing block comprising at least three segments, each segment having a substantially uniform acoustic impedance throughout the segment, but at least two of the segments having a different acoustic impedance from each other.

In a medical ultrasound probe subassembly, the improvement comprising a backing block having a gradient in acoustic impedance that changes as a function of elevation or azimuth, the backing block comprising at least two segments, each segment having a variable acoustic impedance substantially throughout the segment.

In a medical ultrasound probe subassembly, the improvement comprising a backing block having a gradient in acoustic impedance that changes as a function of elevation or azimuth, the backing block comprising metal particles or metal compound particles suspended in a matrix, and the acoustic impedance of the backing block varies according to the metal particle or metal compound particle concentration in the backing block.

A diagnostic medical ultrasound transducer backing block with a variable acoustic impedance along at least one dimension of the backing block, having a gradient change in acoustic impedance from a minimum value of acoustic impedance substantially in the center of the backing block, increasing to a maximum value of acoustic impedance substantially at two or more planar lateral faces of the backing block.

A diagnostic medical ultrasound system, comprising an ultrasound probe subassembly that receives electrical signals from a transmit beamformer, said probe subassembly including an ultrasound transducer array and a backing block, wherein the backing block has a controlled gradient in acoustic impedance as a function of elevation and/or azimuth.

A diagnostic medical ultrasound system, comprising an ultrasound probe subassembly that receives electrical signals from a transmit beamformer, said probe subassembly including an ultrasound transducer array and a backing block, wherein the backing block has a gradient in aacoustic impedance as a function of elevation and/or azimuth, wherein the backing block is stacked with the ultrasound transducer array to offset the negative apodization of an elevation geometric lens in a stacked relationship with the ultrasound transducer array.

A backing block with a variable acoustic impedance segmented along the elevation direction of an ultrasound transducer array, having a gradient in acoustic impedance increasing from a minimum value of acoustic impedance substantially in the center of the backing block to a maximum value of acoustic impedance substantially at two or more planar lateral faces of the backing block.

An ultrasound transducer probe, comprising:

• a backing block having a gradient change in acoustic impedance from a minimum value of acoustic impedance substantially in the center of the backing block, increasing to a maximum value of acoustic impedance substantially at two lateral azimuthal faces and/or two lateral elevation faces of the backing block;
• and
• a non-uniform thickness ultrasound transducer array having two lateral azimuthal faces and two lateral elevation faces substantially parallel to corresponding lateral faces of the backing block, and two horizontal faces, one horizontal face proximal to the backing block, wherein the backing block is stacked with the ultrasound transducer array.