This article presents an approach to extend our previous work of the minimum‐weighted norm method in computerized tomography. In particular concentrating on applications of ultrasonic nondestructive testing, the resolution enhancement in the image reconstruction from B‐scans is achieved. To combat the degradation problem due to physical focus of finite‐sized ultrasonic transducer and incompleteness of B‐scan data, a profile‐oriented prior knowledge about the object being detected is incorporated in the image reconstruction, in the form of weighted summation of specific basis functions. Each basis function is characterized by an image of coherent illumination pattern associated with a specific measuring time and a specific measuring position. From the demonstrations with both simulated and experimental data values, this technique proves a great potential in improving the image quality. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 22, 185–193, 2012