Apparatus and process modifications in ultrasonic holography to improve image quality

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for improving ultrasonic holography image quality comprising:

• a transducer assembly;
• an acoustic lens assembly;
• a holographic image detection system;
• a transducer assembly electric control means for controlling frequency, power, timing and duration of an ultrasonic output pulse;
• a plurality of a transducer elements for transmission of ultrasound, wherein the transducer elements are mounted on a movable support having a center axis movable at an angle of incidence (θ), and wherein the transducer assembly transmits a pulse sequence of ultrasound, wherein each pulse within the sequence comprises a plurality of cycles of a single frequency (ƒ) of ultrasound, wherein each sequence is composed of a plurality of distinct pulses comprises a single or multiple frequency pulses (ƒ1, ƒ2, ƒ3, . . . ƒn).

A process for improving image quality in an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, wherein the ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprises a transducer assembly;

• an acoustic lens assembly;
• a holographic image detection system;
• a transducer assembly electric control means for controlling frequency, power, timing and duration of an ultrasonic output pulse;
• and a transducer, wherein the transducer is mounted on a movable support having a center axis, comprising the steps of:
• (a) providing an object to be internally imaged to be held by the object holder;
• (b) transmitting a pulse sequence of ultrasound, each pulse within the sequence comprises a plurality of cycles and each pulse within the sequence has a different amplitude then every other pulse in the sequence and
• (c) imaging the object from a hologram formed in the holographic detection system for each pulse within the sequence.

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for improving ultrasonic holography image quality comprising:

• a transducer assembly;
• an acoustic lens assembly, a holographic image detection system;
• a transducer assembly electric control means for controlling frequency, power, timing and duration of ultrasonic output pulse;
• and
• a transducer element for transmission of ultrasound, wherein the transducer element is mounted on a movable support having a center axis movable at an angle of incidence (θ), and wherein the transducer assembly transmits a pulse sequence of ultrasound, wherein each pulse within the sequence comprises a plurality of cycles of ultrasound, wherein each sequence comprises a single or multiple frequency pulses (ƒ1, ƒ2, ƒ3, . . . ƒn) and multiple amplitudes (A1, A2, A3, . . . An).

An apparatus comprising:

• a transducer assembly means for generating an acoustic signal to pass through an object;
• a lens means for receiving an acoustic signal after it has passed through the object;
• a holographic image detection means for receiving the acoustic signal after it has passed through the lens;
• and
• electronic control means for causing the transducer assembly means to generate a plurality of pulses spaced from each other in time, the plurality of pulses forming a sequence of pulses, each pulse having a selected frequency within the pulse itself and plurality of the pulses in the sequence having a different frequency from each other.

A method generating an acoustic hologram comprising:

• generating a plurality of acoustic pulses;
• transmitting the plurality of acoustic pulses as a sequence of pulses through an object;
• varying a property of the acoustic pulse from one pulse to another pulse within the sequence of pulses passing through the object;
• receiving the sequence of pulses that have passed through the object;
• and
• creating an image for each pulse in the sequence that contains varying data based on the property of the pulse that was varied.