A novel encoded excitation scheme in a phased array for the improving data acquisition rate

Area of Science:

• Ultrasound technology
• Medical imaging systems
• Signal processing

Background:

• Phased array (PA) ultrasonic imaging systems face limitations in real-time applications due to high acquisition times and low frame rates.
• Current methods require full array emission for each image line, hindering speed in applications like echocardiography and obstetrics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an alternative phased array (PA) scheme to reduce the number of emissions required for whole-image acquisition.
• To enhance the frame rate of ultrasonic imaging systems for real-time applications.

Main Methods:

• A novel phased array (PA) scheme utilizing Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) was proposed, assigning unique codes to different steering directions for simultaneous emissions.
• A new image merging scheme was developed to address the contrast reduction issue caused by inter-code interference.

Main Results:

• The proposed CDMA-based PA scheme allows simultaneous emission in multiple directions, significantly reducing acquisition time.
• The image merging technique effectively limits the loss of image contrast inherent to CDMA techniques.
• The combined approach brings the system closer to the theoretical maximum frame rate.

Conclusions:

• The developed CDMA-based phased array (PA) scheme offers a viable solution for improving frame rates in ultrasonic imaging.
• The proposed image merging strategy effectively compensates for contrast degradation, making the technique suitable for real-time applications.