Full correction for spatially distributed speed-of-sound in echo ultrasound based on measuring aberration delays via transmit beam steering

摘要: Aberrations of the acoustic wave front, caused by spatial variations speed-of-sound, are a main limiting factor to diagnostic power medical ultrasound imaging. If not accounted for, aberrations result in low resolution and increased side lobe level, over all reducing contrast deep tissue Various techniques have been proposed for quantifying analysing arrival time coherent echoes from so-called guide stars or beacons. In situations where star is missing, aperture-based may give ambiguous results. Moreover, they conceptually focused on aberrators that can be approximated as phase screen front probe. We propose novel technique, effect aberration detected reconstructed image opposed aperture data. The varying local echo when changing transmit beam steering angle directly reflects front. This allows sensing angle-dependent delay spatially resolved way, thus correction distributed volume aberrator. phantoms containing cylindrical aberrator, we achieved location-independent diffraction-limited well accurate display location based reconstructing speed-of-sound resolved. First successful volunteer results confirm clinical potential technique.