Compound ultrasound (US) images benefit from reduced speckle noise, at the expense of blurring. The purpose of this
work was to evaluate several different methods for reducing the effects of blurring on compounded ultrasound images.
We evaluated 3 different approaches: unsharp masking (USM), Gaussian deconvolution (GD), and system measured
point-spread-function (PSF) deconvolution (PD). The compounded images are created from summation of
approximately 300 B-Mode US images. We applied the different de-blurring methods to these images and examined the
images subjectively as well as measured resolution with an autocorrelation metric. Overall, these methods improved
resolution by 1.25 (USM), 1.09 (GD), and 1.27 (PD). Unsharp masking was the best trade-off between runtime
performance and image quality.
Volume data reconstruction from cone-beam projections can be time consuming, typically reconstructing parallel axial
slices. We present a system for performing fast, arbitrary-orientation CT slice reconstruction using commodity graphics
processing units (GPUs). For 1024x1024 voxel slice reconstruction we have achieved a 89-fold performance
improvement over a CPU implementation with comparable image quality.
The purpose of this project was to design, build, and characterize the performance of a volume breast ultrasound (VBUS) scanner that images the pendant breast. VBUS scanner design includes a: 1) clinical ultrasound scanner and transducer; 2) scanning table with a hole for the pendant breast; 3) rotational gantry; 4) probe mounting assembly; 5) compressionless breast stabilization device; 6) acquisition, control, reconstruction, and display software. Performance assessment characterized a variety of parameters including: spatial resolution, uniformity, and distortion using high and low contrast test objects in both horizontal and vertical scanning modes. The VBUS scanner modules have been constructed and initial performance evaluated. Approximately 300 scans are acquired over 360 degrees in 18 seconds. Reconstruction requires 25 ms per slice. Test object images depicted hyper- and hypo-echoic masses and demonstrated good resolution, soft tissue contrast and reduced speckle compared to conventional US images. Although scanner performance is satisfactory, additional developments including reduced spacing transducer - scanned object spacing and corrections for sound velocity and aberrations will improve operation. Future work will continue system optimization.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.