LOW-COST, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, PORTABLE ULTRASOUND IMAGING

描述（由申请人提供）： 在临床医学中有许多应用，其中低成本、易于使用和便携式经皮成像系统将具有很大的价值。超声成像可以独特地适合于提供软组织的清晰解剖图像并且提供高时间分辨率，同时是低成本、易于使用和可靠的。虽然超声在引导针插入静脉系统中的作用是众所周知的，但是在这种和类似的相关应用中存在相当大的改进和扩展的范围。具体来说，我们的研究是面向实现一个数量级的成本降低，保持合理的图像质量（特别是对比度），并开发的多功能性，提供额外的扫描平面超出目前在常见的做法。更准确地说，除了传统的B扫描，我们将提供C扫描（图像平面平行于皮肤表面）使用高度集成的换能器阵列和波束形成器。我们假设，增加C扫描功能将使我们的成像系统更容易被经验不足的用户使用，因此更有可能被广泛接受。1）设计、制作和测试低成本的全采样二维阵列。为了使用固态换能器装置形成C扫描，必须采用2D换能器阵列。我们已经开发了用于实现高度集成的紧凑型换能器阵列-波束形成器对的优雅解决方案，该解决方案将以降低的成本并且在非常紧凑的空间中产生所需的图像，适合在临床中普遍使用。2)开发和测试有效的C模式波束形成和成像算法新的波束形成算法将用于形成C扫描和B扫描图像。我们还将开发新的复合和流量估计方法，以利用完全采样的2D阵列。3)设计，制造，并集成发射和采样电子与二维阵列的一个中心的贡献，拟议的工作是一个高度集成的小型设备（大约一个计算器的大小）。这是通过将电子器件集成到安装在阵列附近的专用IC上来实现的。4)通过体模和体内实验量化图像质量和血管可视化。我们将进行实际测试，以验证原型设备的实用性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There are numerous applications in clinical medicine where a low cost, easy to use, and portable transcutaneous imaging system would be of great value. Ultrasound imaging may be uniquely suited to provide clear anatomic images of soft tissue and offer high temporal resolution, while being low-cost, easy to use, and reliable. While the role of ultrasound in the guidance of needle insertion into the venous system is well known, there is considerable scope for improvement and extension in this and similar, related applications. Specifically, our research is oriented towards achieving an order of magnitude cost reduction retaining reasonable image quality (particularly contrast), and developing the versatility to offer additional scan planes beyond those currently in common practice. More precisely, in addition to traditional B-Scans, we will provide C-Scans (image plane parallel to skin surface) using a highly integrated transducer array and beamformer. We hypothesize that adding the C-Scan capability will make our imaging system considerably easier to use by the less experienced user and therefore far more likely to be widely accepted. The Aims are: 1) Design, fabricate and test low-cost fully sampled 2D array. In order to form a C-Scan using a solid-state transducer device, it is necessary to employ a 2D transducer array. We have developed elegant solutions for realizing a highly integrated compact transducer array - beamformer pair that will produce the desired images at reduced cost and in a very compact space suitable for ubiquitous use in the clinic. 2) Develop and test efficient C-Mode beamforming and imaging algorithms New beamforming algorithms will be employed to form both C-Scan and B-Scan images. We will also develop novel compounding and flow estimation methods to take advantage of the fully sampled 2D array. 3) Design, fabricate, and integrate transmit and sampling electronics with 2D array A central contribution of the proposed work is a highly integrated small device (approximately the size of a calculator). This is achieved by integrating the electronics on special purpose ICs mounted adjacent to the array. 4) Quantify image quality and blood vessel visualization through phantom and in vivo experiments. We will perform realistic testing to validate the utility of the prototype device.