Ultrasound plane-wave imaging with delay multiply and sum beamforming and coherent compounding

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Ultrasound Technology
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Improving frame rate is critical for 3D/4D cardiac ultrasound applications.
• Plane-Wave Imaging (PWI) offers high frame rates (up to 10 kHz) but suffers from reduced image quality due to lack of transmit focusing.
• Coherent compounding of PWI frames can restore image quality but lowers the frame rate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Delay Multiply And Sum (DMAS) beamforming with PWI for enhancing ultrasound image quality.
• To investigate the impact of different transmission angles and coherent compounding on PWI performance using DMAS.
• To demonstrate the potential of DMAS-PWI for achieving high frame rates without compromising image contrast and resolution.

Main Methods:

• Simulations were performed using PWI with varying transmission angles and coherent compounding.
• The Delay Multiply And Sum (DMAS) beamforming algorithm was employed and compared to standard Delay And Sum (DAS).
• Image quality was assessed using simulated Point Spread Function (PSF) and cyst-phantom images.

Main Results:

• DMAS beamforming, when used with PWI, significantly improved image quality.
• Fewer compounded frames were required with DMAS to achieve high image quality compared to DAS.
• Simulated results indicate enhanced contrast and resolution in PWI images using DMAS.

Conclusions:

• DMAS beamforming combined with PWI offers a viable solution for high frame rate ultrasound imaging.
• This approach allows for improved image contrast and resolution in medical ultrasound applications, particularly in cardiac imaging.
• DMAS-PWI enables high-quality imaging at very high frame rates, addressing a key challenge in advanced ultrasound.