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Article
Scatterer size estimation in pulse-echo ultrasound using focused sources: Calibration measurements and phantom experiments
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2004)
  • Timothy A. Bigelow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • William D. O'Brien, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract

In a companion paper [T. A. Bigelow and W. D. O'Brien Jr., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 578 (2004)], theory, supported by simulations, showed that accurate scatterer size estimates could be obtained using highly focused sources provided that the derived generalized attenuation-compensation function was used and the velocity potential field near the focus could be approximated as a three-dimensional Gaussian. Herein, the theory is further evaluated via experimental studies. A calibration technique is developed to find the necessary equivalent Gaussian dimensions for a focused source using reflections obtained from a rigid plane scanned through the focus. Then, the theoretical analysis of focused sources is validated experimentally using three spherically focused ultrasound transducers to estimate the radius of glass beads imbedded in tissue mimicking phantoms. Both the impact of focusing (f/1, f/2, and f/4) and the effect of scatterer type (comparing glass bead results to simulation results that used scatterers with Gaussian impedance distributions) were tested. The simulated differences agree with the measured differences to within 2.5% provided that the comparison is made between the same scatterer type and sources with the same equivalent Gaussian dimensions. The improvement provided by the generalized attenuation-compensation function is greatly influenced by the type of scatterer whose size is being estimated and decreases as the wavelength dependence of the Gaussian depth of focus is reduced.

Keywords
  • acoustic wave scattering,
  • approximation theory,
  • attenuation,
  • computer simulation,
  • microstructure,
  • speckle,
  • ultrasound imaging,
  • calculation,
  • mathematical analysis,
  • measurement,
  • radiation scattering,
  • ultrasound
Publication Date
July, 2004
Publisher Statement
Copyright 2004 Acoustical Society of America. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the Acoustical Society of America.
Citation Information
Timothy A. Bigelow and William D. O'Brien. "Scatterer size estimation in pulse-echo ultrasound using focused sources: Calibration measurements and phantom experiments" Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Vol. 116 Iss. 1 (2004)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/timothy_bigelow/15/