Architecture for an Ultrasound Advanced Open Platform With an Arbitrary Number of Independent Channels

Mazierli, Daniele; Ramalli, Alessandro; Boni, Enrico; Guidi, Francesco; Tortoli,

doi:10.1109/tbcas.2021.3077664

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…With the matrix array designed here and integrated with 1024 channels of pulsers, each element is driven independently, and the entire array can transmit and receive simultaneously to achieve diverging waves and cylindrical or spherical beams. The 1024-channel system is composed of four synchronized Vantage 256 systems (Verasonics, Kirkland, WA) assembled together 52 , each controlled by a graphics processing unit (GPU)-embedded computer. The direct integration of the 1024 elements with dedicated individual pulsers allows for the higher duty cycles that are required for most microbubble-based therapeutic protocols.…”

Section: Array Design and Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A theranostic 3D ultrasound imaging system for high resolution image-guided therapy

Bendjador¹,

Foiret²,

Wodnicki³

et al. 2022

Theranostics

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Microbubble contrast agents are a diagnostic tool with broad clinical impact and an increasing number of indications. Many therapeutic applications have also been identified. Yet, technologies for ultrasound guidance of microbubble-mediated therapy are limited. In particular, arrays that are capable of implementing and imaging microbubble-based therapy in three dimensions in real-time are lacking. We propose a system to perform and monitor microbubble-based therapy, capable of volumetric imaging over a large field-of-view. To propel the promise of the theranostic treatment strategies forward, we have designed and tested a unique array and system for 3D ultrasound guidance of microbubble-based therapeutic protocols based on the frequency, temporal and spatial requirements. Methods: Four 256-channel plane wave scanners (Verasonics, Inc, WA, USA) were combined to control a 1024-element planar array with 1.3 and 2.5 MHz therapeutic and imaging transmissions, respectively. A transducer aperture of ~40×15 mm was selected and Field II was applied to evaluate the point spread function. In vitro experiments were performed on commercial and custom phantoms to assess the spatial resolution, image contrast and microbubble-enhanced imaging capabilities. Results: We found that a 2D array configuration with 64 elements separated by λ-pitch in azimuth and 16 elements separated by 1.5λ-pitch in elevation ensured the required flexibility. This design, of 41.6 mm × 16 mm, thus provided both an extended field-of-view, up to 11 cm x 6 cm at 10 cm depth and steering of ±18° in azimuth and ±12° in elevation. At a depth of 16 cm, we achieved a volume imaging rate of 60 Hz, with a contrast ratio and resolution, respectively, of 19 dB, 0.8 mm at 3 cm and 20 dB and 2.1 mm at 12.5 cm. Conclusion: A single 2D array for both imaging and therapeutics, integrated with a 1024 channel scanner can guide microbubble-based therapy in volumetric regions of interest.

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Section: Array Design and Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A theranostic 3D ultrasound imaging system for high resolution image-guided therapy

Bendjador¹,

Foiret²,

Wodnicki³

et al. 2022

Theranostics

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“…The master system itself also receives the two signals again as input to ensure phase equality with the other sub-systems in the sequence control. Other research groups, such as those around the platform ULA-OP, are also pursuing similar approaches [18]. While our method is based on synchronous distribution of clock and trigger signals with equal signal run lengths, ULA-OP's synchronization circuit relies on PLLs with a programmable phase shift and on a trigger delay compensation to realize zero delay of the timing signals between the master and slave systems.…”

Section: Synchronization Schemementioning

confidence: 99%

Real-Time Volumetric Ultrasound Research Platform with 1024 Parallel Transmit and Receive Channels

et al. 2021

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Volumetric ultrasound imaging is of great importance in many medical fields, especially in cardiology, but also in therapy monitoring applications. For development of new imaging technologies and scanning strategies, it is crucial to be able to use a hardware platform that is as free and flexible as possible and does not restrict the user in his research in any way. For this purpose, multi-channel ultrasound systems are particularly suitable, as they are able to control each individual element of a matrix array without the use of a multiplexer. We set out to develop a fully integrated, compact 1024-channel ultrasound system that provides full access to all transmission parameters and all digitized raw data of each transducer element. For this purpose, we synchronize four research scanners of our latest “DiPhAS” ultrasound research system generation, each with 256 parallel channels, all connected to a single PC on whose GPUs the entire signal processing is performed. All components of the system are housed in a compact, movable 19-inch rack. The system is designed as a general-purpose platform for research in volumetric imaging; however, the first-use case will be therapy monitoring by tracking radiation-sensitive ultrasound contrast agents.

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“…A first (software) selection was proposed in [63]. Here, four Vantage-256 research scanners (Verasonics, Inc., Kirkland, WA, USA), were synchronized [14] to drive the 1024-element, 3.5 MHz, Vermon matrix probe. The channels of the scanners were programed to activate at the same time only 256 elements, selected to reproduce the optimal array configuration described in [63] (the so-called opti256 array obtained through the SA algorithm, see Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The double spiral probe described in Section III-A2 was also recently used together with two synchronous ULA-OP 256 scanners in real-time HFR imaging experiments [14].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Design, Implementation, and Medical Applications of 2-D Ultrasound Sparse Arrays

Ramalli

Boni

Roux

et al. 2022

IEEE Trans. Ultrason., Ferroelect., Freq. Contr.

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An ultrasound sparse array consists of a 1 sparse distribution of elements over a 2-D aperture. Such 2 an array is typically characterized by a limited number 3 of elements, which in most cases is compatible with the 4 channel number of the available scanners. Sparse arrays 5 represent an attractive alternative to full 2-D arrays that 6 may require the control of thousands of elements through 7 expensive application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). 8 However, their massive use is hindered by two main draw-9 backs: the possible beam profile deterioration, which may 10 worsen the image contrast, and the limited signal-to-noise 11 ratio (SNR), which may result too low for some applica-12 tions. This article reviews the work done for three decades 13 on 2-D ultrasound sparse arrays for medical applications. 14 First, random, optimized, and deterministic design meth-15 ods are reviewed together with their main influencing fac-16 tors. Then, experimental 2-D sparse array implementations 17 based on piezoelectric and capacitive micromachined ultra-18 sonic transducer (CMUT) technologies are presented. Sam-19 ple applications to 3-D (Doppler) imaging, super-resolution 20 imaging, photo-acoustic imaging, and therapy are reported. 21 The final sections discuss the main shortcomings associ-22 ated with the use of sparse arrays, the related countermea-23 sures, and the next steps envisaged in the development of 24 innovative arrays. 25 Index Terms-2-D arrays, 3-D ultrasound imaging, 26 capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT), 27 genetic algorithm (GA), piezoelectric, simulated annealing 28 (SA), sparse arrays, spiral arrays, transducers. 29 I. INTRODUCTION 30 T HE introduction of 2-D arrays has greatly boosted the 31 development of novel ultrasound imaging methods aimed 32 Manuscript

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Architecture for an Ultrasound Advanced Open Platform With an Arbitrary Number of Independent Channels

Cited by 18 publications

References 49 publications

A theranostic 3D ultrasound imaging system for high resolution image-guided therapy

A theranostic 3D ultrasound imaging system for high resolution image-guided therapy

Real-Time Volumetric Ultrasound Research Platform with 1024 Parallel Transmit and Receive Channels

Design, Implementation, and Medical Applications of 2-D Ultrasound Sparse Arrays

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