A simple 2-D ultrasound array and front-end electronics for 3-D volumetric imaging

• Published in: IEEE 25th Annual Northeast Bioengineering Conference, 1999 pp. 85 - 86
• Main Authors: Zhi, Y., Guo, P., Zhu, Q.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 1999
• Subjects: Array signal processing; Crystals; Data acquisition; Error correction; Multiplexing; Nearest neighbor searches; Pulse amplifiers; Signal to noise ratio; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic transducers
• ISBN: 0780354869; 9780780354869
• DOI: 10.1109/NEBC.1999.755776

Three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound imaging has been the subject of intense recent interest. However, 3-D imaging requires 2-D planar ultrasound arrays. The fabrication techniques of such arrays are sophisticated and are currently under intensive studies in industry and in a few research labs. We present here an effective 3-D ultrasound imaging system consists of a simple 2-D piezoelectric (PZT) array and low noise front-end electronics. Imaging is obtained by using a synthetic beamforming algorithm and imaging quantity is improved by incorporating a phase deaberration algorithm. The algorithm compensates time-delay errors introduced primarily by the imperfect geometry of the array. The system has good signal to noise ratio and can be used in research applications for demonstrating principles of 3-D imaging related techniques.