SIMUS3: An open-source simulator for 3-D ultrasound imaging.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Computational Ultrasound Imaging (CUI)
• Acoustic Simulation

Background:

• Computational Ultrasound Imaging (CUI) is increasingly utilized in medical ultrasound research.
• Existing simulation software facilitates the design of transmit sequences, transducer arrays, and signal processing.
• SIMUS, a frequency-based simulator within the MUST toolbox, offers numerical advantages and frequency-dependent factor consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce 3-D versions of ultrasound simulation tools, PFIELD3 and SIMUS3.
• To address the growing interest in simulating ultrasound imaging with 2-D matrix arrays.
• To extend the capabilities of existing CUI tools for advanced simulations.

Main Methods:

• Development of 3-D simulation tools (PFIELD3 and SIMUS3) based on linear acoustic equations.
• Description of theoretical assumptions for user guidance.
• Comparative performance analysis against established tools like Field II.

Main Results:

• PFIELD3 and SIMUS3 demonstrate performance under various transmission conditions.
• Comparative analyses were conducted using a 32x32 element 3-MHz matrix array.
• The study highlights the effectiveness of the new 3-D simulation tools.

Conclusions:

• PFIELD3 and SIMUS3 significantly enhance the field of computational ultrasound imaging.
• These tools provide researchers with valuable resources for advanced ultrasound simulations.
• The work contributes to the development of sophisticated medical ultrasound research capabilities.