Comparisons of lesion detectability in ultrasound images acquired using time-shift compensation and spatial compounding

Lacefield, James C.; Pilkington, Wayne C.; Waag, Robert C.

doi:10.1109/tuffc.2004.1386682

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Under these conditions, image artifacts are suppressed, while desired patterns preserved during averaging. Spatial compounding has consistently shown marked improvement in the contrast and perceived resolution of ultrasound images [3], [6]- [8]. However, standard spatial compounding does not distinguish between individual raw data sets that are averaged.…”

Section: B Spatial Compoundingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular ultrasound compounding by designed matrix weighting

Bashford

Morse

2006

IEEE Trans. Med. Imaging

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Abstract-Spatial compounding is an imaging technique that aims to improve image contrast by combining partially decorrelated images acquired at different angles or positions. In conventional spatial compounding, data sets are combined with equal weighting. Here, we describe an alternative method of reconstruction using algorithms which weight the data based on a "quality" matrix. The quality matrix is derived from beamforming characteristics. For each data set, the reliability of the data is assumed to vary spatially. By compounding the data based on the quality matrix, a complete image is formed. Here, we describe the construction of a rotational translation stage and tissue-mimicking phantoms that are used in conjunction with a commercial medical ultrasound machine to test our reconstruction algorithms. The new algorithms were found to increase the contrast-to-speckle ratio of simulated cysts and tumors by 61% from raw data, and to significantly increase edge definition of small embedded targets. The new method shows promise as a computationally efficient method of improving contrast and resolution in ultrasound images. The method should be particularly useful in breast imaging, where images from multiple angles can be acquired without interference from bone or air.Index Terms-Breast imaging, cancer screening, medical imaging, spatial compounding, ultrasound.

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Section: B Spatial Compoundingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circular ultrasound compounding by designed matrix weighting

Bashford

Morse

2006

IEEE Trans. Med. Imaging

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“…Re cently, at ten tion has been given to com bin ing spa tial com pound ing and adap tive im aging. [23][24][25][26] The im ages formed from the subap er tures used in com pound ing are sig nif i cantly less cor re lated when ab er ra tions of siz able strength or low cor re la tion length are pres ent. This causes a larger re duc tion in speckle vari ance than would be ob tained by com pound ing with out ab er ra tion pres ent.…”

Section: Ta Blementioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Evaluation of Combined Spatial Compounding and Adaptive Imaging in Breast Tissue

2004

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When spatial compounding is applied to targets with significant acoustic velocity inhomogeneities, the correlation between speckle patterns of the images to be averaged decreases, thereby increasing the speckle reduction nominally obtained. Phase correction applied to these targets improves the coherence of the wavefield and restores image spatial frequencies. Combining these two modes can be used to effectively increase the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of imaging targets and improve the general image quality of these targets over spatial compounding alone. This paper presents a clinical evaluation of combined spatial compounding and adaptive imaging in breast tissue and compares this combined technique to conventional imaging and to adaptive imaging and spatial compounding operating independently. Experiments were performed on a 1.75-D, 8 x 96 array attached to a commercially-available scanner. Cysts, microcalcifications and other breast structures were targeted in order to assess the impact of the combined mode on CNR, target width, target brightness and target peak-to-background ratio (PBR). In general, phase correction improved cyst CNR by 7.7%, decreased target width by 18.7%, increased target brightness by 30.1% and increased PBR by 17.9%. Compounding alone, using three overlapping 9.71 mm subapertures, increased cyst CNR by 24.6%, but increased target width by 25.4% and decreased PBR by 13.2%. Combining both modes, however, increased cyst CNR by 32.6%, inappreciably increased target width by 1.1% and marginally decreased PBR by 2.8%. The increase in target brightness with this combined mode was 20.0%

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“…12 To date, most 3-D spatial compounding research reported in the literature has used a 1-D linear or phased array with mechanical translation and position tracking. 13–17 1-D arrays lack the capability of electronic focusing in elevation which degrades the image quality away from the fixed focus. Additionally, mechanical translation with position tracking can introduce registration errors 12.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3-D Spatial Compounding Using a Row-Column Array

Awad

Yen

2009

Ultrason Imaging

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2-D spatial compounding has long been investigated to reduce speckle in ultrasound images. To further reduce speckle, several 3-D spatial compounding studies using 1-D and 1.5 D arrays with mechanical translation and position tracking have been reported. However, the fixed elevational focus and mechanical translation can degrade image quality in elevation. Using 2-D arrays, a better elevational resolution can be achieved with electronic focusing. Furthermore, 2-D arrays can generate greater number of independent images than 1-D arrays, and the need for mechanical scanning is eliminated. In this paper, we present our 3-D spatial compounding images of two gel-based contrast phantoms and one resolution phantom. These images were acquired using a prototype 4 cm × 4 cm ultrasonic row-column prototype 2-D array operating at 5 MHz. Compounding nine decorrelated volumes showed a speckle signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement of 2.68. The average improvement of the lesion contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was 2.45. However, using a smaller aperture to generate these volumes worsened the lateral resolution as predicted by theory.

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Comparisons of lesion detectability in ultrasound images acquired using time-shift compensation and spatial compounding

Cited by 12 publications

References 28 publications

Circular ultrasound compounding by designed matrix weighting

Circular ultrasound compounding by designed matrix weighting

Clinical Evaluation of Combined Spatial Compounding and Adaptive Imaging in Breast Tissue

3-D Spatial Compounding Using a Row-Column Array

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