Transit-time broadening in pulsed Doppler ultrasound: a generalized amplitude modulation model

In Doppler ultrasound, transit-time broadening arises from the finite scatterer transit time through the sample volume. As a unifying description of this broadening mechanism, a generalized amplitude modulation signal model was developed to collectively account for the transit-time effects of the ultrasound beam geometry and the range gate characteristics. Simulations based on a pulsed linear-array system also were performed to study the broadening extent for different scatterer flow lines. With our signal model and simulation results, some generalized insights were obtained on the characteristics of transit-time broadening. First, as consistent with previous findings, we found that, for scatterers passing though the center of the sample volume, the broadening extent mainly depends on beam-forming characteristics at higher beam-flow angles, but it is more dependent on range gate parameters at smaller angles. Second, for the central flow line, a transition angle exists in which a significant change occurs in the governing parameters of transit-time broadening. Third, for the general case in which scatterers undertake an off-central path through the sample volume, the broadening extent depends on both the beam geometry and the range gate. Bandwidth skewing and further spectral broadening also can be seen for these off-central flow lines.