Ultrasonic nonlinear imaging at fundamental frequencies
AssigneeATL Ultrasound, Inc.
InventorMichalakis Averkiou
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Abstract
Nonlinear tissue or contrast agent effects are detected by combining echoes from multiple, differently modulated transmit pulses below the second harmonic band. The received echoes may even overlap the fundamental transmit frequency band. The modulation may be amplitude modulation or phase or polarity modulation, and is preferably both amplitude and phase or modulation. The present invention affords the ability to utilize a majority of the transducer passband for both transmission and reception, and to transmit pulses which are less destructive to microbubble contrast agents.
Claims7
A method for nonlinear ultrasonic imaging comprising:
- transmitting first and second fundamental frequency pulses to a nonlinear target which are differently modulated in at least one of amplitude, phase or polarity;
- receiving echoes from said nonlinear target at a frequency below the second harmonic frequency of said fundamental frequency in response to said transmitted pulses;
- and
- combining said received echoes which are below the second harmonic frequency to produce signals embodying a nonlinear effect of said nonlinear target;
- and
- using said nonlinear effect signals to produce an ultrasound image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.