Coherence-based quantification of acoustic clutter sources in medical ultrasound Conference Proceeding uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The relative contributions of aberration and incoherent noise sources, such as diffuse reverberation and thermal noise, to image quality in medical ultrasound are not well understood. We present a theoretical framework to predict losses in the correlation of ultrasonic backscatter, i.e., spatial coherence, and imaging contrast in response to combinations of incoherent noise and aberration levels. This framework is based on estimating the beamformer gain and channel SNR, using measurements of spatial coherence. A method to separate the contributions of incoherent noise and aberration in the spatial coherence domain is also explored and applied to predict losses in contrast. Results indicate excellent agreement between theory and simulations for beamformer gain and expected contrast loss. Coherence-predicted contrast loss and measured contrast loss in aberration differ by less than 1.5dB on average, for a −20 dB contrast target and aberrators with RMS time delay errors and spatial autocorrelation profiles similar to those measured in vivo. Results also indicate that the contribution of aberration to contrast loss varies with channel SNR, peaking around 0 dB SNR. This framework shows promise to facilitate novel, targeted clutter reduction strategies by providing a means to isolate and estimate the contributions of correlated and uncorrelated noise.

publication date

  • October 1, 2020

has restriction

  • closed

Date in CU Experts

  • January 8, 2021 12:24 PM

Full Author List

  • Long J; Long W; Bottenus N; Trahey G

author count

  • 4

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0001-4966

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1520-8524

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 2486

end page

  • 2487

volume

  • 148

issue

  • 4_Supplement