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Curved Toroidal Row Column Addressed Transducer for 3D Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging | IEEE Journals & Magazine | IEEE Xplore

Curved Toroidal Row Column Addressed Transducer for 3D Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging


Abstract:

3D Imaging of the human heart at high frame rate is of major interest for various clinical applications. Electronic complexity and cost has prevented the dissemination of...Show More

Abstract:

3D Imaging of the human heart at high frame rate is of major interest for various clinical applications. Electronic complexity and cost has prevented the dissemination of 3D ultrafast imaging into the clinic. Row column addressed (RCA) transducers provide volumetric imaging at ultrafast frame rate by using a low electronic channel count, but current models are ill-suited for transthoracic cardiac imaging due to field-of-view limitations. In this study, we proposed a mechanically curved RCA with an aperture adapted for transthoracic cardiac imaging ( 24\times16 mm2). The RCA has a toroidal curved surface of 96 elements along columns (curvature radius rC = 4.47 cm) and 64 elements along rows (curvature radius rR = 3 cm). We implemented delay and sum beamforming with an analytical calculation of the propagation of a toroidal wave which was validated using simulations (Field II). The imaging performance was evaluated on a calibrated phantom. Experimental 3D imaging was achieved up to 12 cm deep with a total angular aperture of 30° for both lateral dimensions. The Contrast-to-Noise ratio increased by 12 dB from 2 to 128 virtual sources. Then, 3D Ultrasound Localization Microscopy (ULM) was characterized in a sub-wavelength tube diameter. Finally, 3D ULM was demonstrated on a perfused ex-vivo swine heart to image the coronary microcirculation.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging ( Volume: 43, Issue: 9, September 2024)
Page(s): 3279 - 3291
Date of Publication: 19 April 2024

ISSN Information:

PubMed ID: 38640053

Funding Agency:


References

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