A digital ultrasonic system for small animal imaging
Journal
Ultrasonic Imaging
Journal Volume
26
Journal Issue
2
Pages
85-99
Date Issued
2004-04
Author(s)
Abstract
In this paper, a 50 MHz digital ultrasonic imaging system designed for small animals and its applications to mouse embryos and tumors are presented. Utilizing the programmability of a fully digital system, several advanced imaging techniques are developed and implemented. A synthetic aperture focusing technique is implemented to increase the penetration and extend the depth of focus of a mechanical scan system using a high frequency single crystal transducer. An adaptive weighting technique is introduced to further reduce the sidelobes and enhance image contrast. Experimental results demonstrate efficacy of the proposed two-step adaptive focusing technique. For flow imaging, several flow estimation algorithms are evaluated. Simulations and flow phantom experiments show that the butterfly search technique offers superior flow imaging performance particularly when the SNR is low and the pulse bandwidth is high. The system is tested by imaging mouse embryos and microcirculation of a mouse tumor in vivo. It is demonstrated that the system is capable of simultaneously acquiring B-mode, color Doppler mode and power Doppler mode small animal images. The system set-up, adaptive focusing technique, flow estimation algorithms and imaging results are shown. Copyright 2004 by Dynamedia, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.
Subjects
Adaptive weighting; Blood flow estimation; High frequency ultrasound; SAFT; Small animal imaging
SDGs
Other Subjects
Animals; Doppler effect; Focusing; Image enhancement; Imaging systems; Microcirculation; Single crystals; Synthetic apertures; Tumors; Ultrasonic imaging; Adaptive weighting; Blood flow estimation; High frequency ultrasounds; SAFT; Small animal imaging; Frequency estimation; algorithm; animal experiment; animal model; article; B scan; color ultrasound flowmetry; controlled study; diagnostic imaging; digital radiography; image enhancement; imaging system; in vivo study; microcirculation; mouse; nonhuman; ovary cancer; phantom; signal noise ratio; simulation; transducer; tumor; tumor growth; ultrasound; animal; biological model; C57BL mouse; computer simulation; disease model; Doppler flowmetry; echography; embryo; image processing; image quality; methodology; mouse strain; skin tumor; vascularization; Algorithms; Animals; Computer Simulation; Disease Models, Animal; Embryo; Image Enhancement; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred Strains; Microcirculation; Models, Animal; Models, Biological; Phantoms, Imaging; Skin Neoplasms; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; Ultrasonography, Prenatal
Type
journal article