Doppler spectrum shape analysis based on the summation of flow-linespectra

A method of evaluating the shape of the Doppler spectrum in pulsed wave (PW) Doppler flowmeters in the presence of velocity gradients is presented and is demonstrated for a circular geometry transducer insonating a uniform distribution of isotropic scatterers moving in paraxial conditions. The method computes the spectrum shape by adding the power spectra of individual flow lines present in the sample volume of the moving fluid being analyzed and can be applied to any focused transducer aperture for which the flow-line spectra are known. With a parabolic velocity profile insonated by a focused circular transducer, several computed spectra are compared with experimental ones for different insonation angles; it is also shown how changes in the spectral shape, due to variations of sample volume size, can be evaluated. The results should help to provide a better understanding of PW Doppler spectrum broadening and its use in medical ultrasound diagnostics     

Doppler-Based Airborne Ultrasound for Detecting Surface Discontinuities on a Moving Target

This paper presents a novel concept based on the acoustic Doppler effect for detecting defects on the surface of a rapidly moving object. The proof-of-concept tests show the feasibility of this approach. By impinging and detecting airborne ultrasound on a rotating target with surface notches, the Doppler effect was clearly observed in the spectral domain at the time when the transducer passed over the flawed zone. For continuous monitoring, the gated spectral magnitude is used to discriminate the signals returned from a flawed region against those from sound regions. In addition, two real-time signal processing techniques are proposed.     

Doppler-Based Airborne Ultrasound for Detecting Surface Discontinuities on a Moving Target

Abstract

This paper presents a novel concept based on the acoustic Doppler effect for detecting defects on the surface of a rapidly moving object. The proof-of-concept tests show the feasibility of this approach. By impinging and detecting airborne ultrasound on a rotating target with surface notches, the Doppler effect was clearly observed in the spectral domain at the time when the transducer passed over the flawed zone. For continuous monitoring, the gated spectral magnitude is used to discriminate the signals returned from a flawed region against those from sound regions. In addition, two real-time signal processing techniques are proposed.     

Different effects of microbubble destruction and translation in Doppler measurements

In flow measurements in which microbubbles are involved, the amplitude and phase of the received echo signal are noticeably influenced by the transmitted ultrasound intensity. Previous studies have shown that, when such intensity is progressively increased, the Doppler spectrum is accordingly distorted, i.e., it is asymmetrically broadened toward the negative frequency side. Such deformation has been attributed to radiation force, which pushes the microbubbles into the sound propagation direction, thus yielding additional phase delays in the received echoes. However, the possible contribution of microbubble destruction to this spectral deformation has not been considered yet. In this paper, this issue is investigated by analyzing the experimental spectra produced by two different types of microbubbles suspended in a moving fluid and insonified in pulsed wave (PW) mode at programmable pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and pressure. Conditions are created in which either the radiation force or the destruction mechanism is expected to be dominant. Effects produced by the two phenomena on the Doppler spectrum are shown to be different. When the PRF is low (2 kHz), so that, according to theoretical simulations, the radiation force effect is negligible, a 26 dB noise floor increase is observed for a 13 dB pressure increment. For a higher PRF (16 kHz), the same pressure increase not only affects the noise floor, but also causes the bubbles to deviate from their original streamlines, yielding a Doppler bandwidth increase by a factor of 5. It is concluded that asymmetrical spectral broadening is mainly due to radiation force, and microbubble destruction mainly results in an increased noise floor without affecting the spectral shape.     

改进的相控阵多普勒计程仪波束形成技术

目前相控阵式多普勒计程仪的基阵体积比活塞式多普勒计程仪已经缩减了很多,该技术只需通过一个收发共用的平面基阵实现信号的发射和接收,可以同时形成4个方向的波束,大大减小了基阵的尺寸,同时还消除了声速变化对测速的影响。但在中深度和大深度多普勒计程仪设备中,换能器基阵的体积仍然限制了其适装的载体种类。以多普勒计程仪小型化思想为核心,分析了密排相控阵多普勒计程仪波束形成技术,对多普勒计程仪进行集成化、小型化设计。针对密排相控阵波束形成技术,比较其发射指向性、声源级、信噪比、系统复杂度与稀疏相控阵的差异。分析表明,在相同频率、相同发射功率以及相同尺寸的条件下,密排相控阵的收发联合响应较稀疏相控阵提高近6 dB。同时在相同测速作用距离的条件下,利用密排相控阵技术可以减少换能器阵元数,从而减小换能器尺寸,达到小型化的目的。     

基于近场测量法的水声换能器声场重建方法研究

为了提高对水声换能器声场分析的效率,开展了基于近场测量法的水声换能器的声场重建方法研究,首先将水声换能器的全息测量面近似为等效声源面,通过积分得到声场重建模型,然后利用自主研发的水下声场测量系统获得发射换能器全息测量面的复声压,实现对其声场的重建,最后比较不同全息测量面的重建结果和实测数据,并分析全息测量面的位置对重建结果的误差影响,得到了重建方法的有效测量区间。该声场重建方法可快速得到水声换能器的声场分布,并且准确可靠。     

Spectrum of Doppler ultrasound signals from nonstationary blood flow

A new formulation for the Doppler signal generation process in pulsatile flow has been developed enabling easier identification and quantification of the mechanisms involved in spectral broadening and the development of a simple estimation formula for the measured rms spectral width. The accuracy of the estimation formula was tested by comparing it with the spectral widths found by using conventional spectral estimation on simulated Doppler signals from pulsatile flow. The influence of acceleration, sample volume size, and time window duration on the Doppler spectral width was investigated for flow with blunt and parabolic velocity profiles passing through Gaussian-shaped sample volumes. Our results show that, for short duration windows, the spectral width is dominated by window broadening and that acceleration has a small effect on the spectral width. For long duration windows, the effect of acceleration must be taken into account. The size of the sample volume affects the spectral width of the Doppler signal in two ways: by intrinsic broadening and by the range of velocities passing through it. These effects act in opposite directions. The simple spectral width estimation formula was shown to have excellent agreement with widths calculated using the model and indicates the potential for correcting not only for window and nonstationarity broadening but also for intrinsic broadening.     

基元控制的方式优化自聚焦换能器聚焦声场的研究

根据HY2900聚焦超声治疗系统聚焦换能器采用6基元自聚焦方式的特点,通过对6基元聚焦换能器排序及数量的控制,达到了避让特定部位的目的。采用亥姆霍兹-基尔霍夫积分计算并用HY2900声场测量软件测量换能器在脱气水中声场的分布。对6基元换能器排序进行定义,结合水听器控制基元数及排序。在对换能器基元全驱动,关闭1、6基元,关闭1、2、6基元,关闭1、3、5基元的四种状况下测量聚焦换能器途径声场及焦平面声场分布。研究发现焦点上10 mm声场分布平面直接反映换能器基元数及随排序的改变换能器聚焦声途径的变化,可通过对换能器基元排序及数量的控制,优化其途径声场分布。     

Invariance of the Doppler bandwidth with range cell size above a critical beam-to-flow angle

For a sound beam impinging on a blood vessel, with a range cell much smaller than the vessel diameter, it is known that the breadth of the echo Doppler spectrum is proportional to the velocity of the flow through the range cell. As the range cell is lengthened to include a greater range of velocities, the spectrum is expected to widen proportionately. It is shown theoretically, and confirmed experimentally, that if the beam-to-flow angle is greater than a critical value, the Doppler spectrum bandwidth is independent of the length of the range cell, and depends only on the maximum velocity encompassed by it. This happens because for angles greater than the critical, the narrow spectra produced by lower velocity flows near the vessel walls are contained within the broader spectrum produced by the higher speed flow near the vessel axis. The critical angle is the angle at which the flow axis is normal to one of the beam edges.     

基于近场声全息的聚焦换能器声场测量方法研究

高强度聚焦超声(HIFU)被广泛应用于医疗领域,但聚焦换能器焦点处的声强比较大,直接测量容易造成水听器损坏.为了间接获得焦点处声压,将全息测量面近似等效为声源面,结合空间傅里叶变换算法,提出了一种高测量效率的聚焦换能器声场测量方法.以球面自聚焦换能器为对象,进行声场测量方法的仿真研究和实验验证.结果表明,该方法比积分法...     

Doppler angle estimation using AR modeling

The transit time spectrum broadening effect has long been explored for Doppler angle estimation. Given acoustic beam geometry, the Doppler angle can be derived based on the mean Doppler frequency and the Doppler bandwidth. Spectral estimators based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) are typically used. One problem with this approach is that a long data acquisition time is required to achieve adequate spectral resolution, with typically 32-128 flow samples being needed. This makes the method unsuitable for real-time two-dimensional Doppler imaging. This paper proposes using an autoregressive (AR) model to obtain the Doppler spectrum using a small number (e.g., eight) of flow samples. The flow samples are properly selected, then extrapolated to ensure adequate spectral resolution. Because only a small number of samples are used, the data acquisition time is significantly reduced and real-time, two-dimensional Doppler angle estimation becomes feasible. The approach was evaluated using both simulated and experimental data. Flows with various degrees of velocity gradient were simulated, with the Doppler angle ranging from 20° to 75°. The results indicate that the AR method generally provided accurate Doppler bandwidth estimates. In addition, the AR method outperformed the FFT method at smaller Doppler angles. The experimental data for Doppler angles, ranging from 33° to 72°, showed that the AR method using only eight flow samples had an average estimation error of 3.6°, which compares favorably to the average error of 4.7° for the FFT method using 64 flow samples. Because accurate estimates can be obtained using a small number of flow samples, it is concluded that real-time, two-dimensional estimation of the Doppler angle over a wide range of angles is possible using the AR method     

Position and time-delay calibration of transducer elements in a sparse array for underwater ultrasound imaging

This paper describes a novel method for the calibration of the position and time delay of transducer elements in a large, sparse array used for underwater, high-resolution ultrasound imaging. This method is based on the principles used in the global positioning system (GPS). However, unlike GPS, in which the wave propagation speed is generally assumed known, the sound propagation speed in the water usually is unknown and it is calibrated simultaneously in this method to achieve high calibration accuracy. In this method, a high-precision positioning system is used to scan a single hydrophone (used for transmission) in the imaging field of the array. The hydrophone transmits pulses at selected positions, and the transducer elements in the sparse array receive the transmitted signals. Time of flight (TOF) values between transducer elements and hydrophone positions then are measured. From a series of measured TOF values, the position and time delay values for each transducer element as well as the propagation speed can be calibrated. The performances of the calibration algorithm are theoretically analyzed and evaluated with numerical calculations and simulation studies. It is found that this method is capable of calibrating the positions and time delays of transducer elements with high accuracy.     

基于四元十字阵的低频换能器指向性检测方法

针对大型低频换能器指向性难以测量的问题,提出了一种基于四元十字阵的测量方法以获取大型低频换能器的指向性。利用到达四元十字阵阵元的时延差信息,结合双曲面交汇法对换能器进行定位,并根据四元十字阵阵元测得的声信号实现大型低频换能器指向性的测量;对定位算法进行理论仿真,设计并进行了湖上试验以测量模拟声源的指向性;对湖上试验测量数据进行计算分析,并与模拟声源在消声水池中的测量结果进行比较,两者-3 dB波束开角的测量结果相差在10%以内。此方法可以用于低频换能器指向性的测量。     

超声换能器声场的激光可视化研究

为了提高超声检测的灵敏度和检测精度,优化检测工艺参数,充分了解超声换能器形成的声场至关重要。搭建了超声换能器声场的激光可视化实验平台,利用超声换能器在试样中激发出超声波,利用激光散斑接收试样表面某点在一段时间内的位移,再通过扫查获得一定区域内质点的位移,进而形成多时刻的质点位移场,以此实现超声场的动态显示。利用该系统对超声换能器声场的扩散情况进行了探测,探测结果与理论计算结果基本一致。     

Experimental evaluation of intrinsic and nonstationary ultrasonic Doppler spectral broadening in steady and pulsatile flow loop models

Intrinsic and nonstationary Doppler spectral broadening, and the skewness of the spectral representation, were evaluated experimentally using porcine red cell suspensions as ultrasonic scatterers. Theoretically, the relative Doppler bandwidth, defined as the intrinsic bandwidth divided by the mean Doppler frequency shift, should be velocity independent. The relative Doppler bandwidth invariance theorem was experimentally verified with an in vitro steady laminar blood flow model. It is shown that the relative bandwidth is both independent of the flow velocity and blood hematocrit. Using a pulsatile laminar flow model, the authors demonstrated that the relative Doppler bandwidth invariance theorem did not hold during flow acceleration and deceleration. In addition, a positive skewness of the Doppler spectra was observed during acceleration while a negative skewness was measured during the deceleration of blood. The effect of the window duration used in the Fourier spectral computation, on nonstationary broadening, is characterized.     

均匀活塞阵辐射声场研究

主要研究了均匀活塞阵的近-远场的辐射声场。首先利用点源声波干涉原理建立均匀点源活塞阵的辐射声场理论,进而推导均匀活塞阵的近-远场的辐射声场函数表达式,并采用Matlab软件仿真了近-远场的辐射声场,分析了近-远场的声场变化规律、声轴方向声压的变化规律和旁瓣级的变化规律。通过与实测的80 kHz均匀活塞阵换能器近-远场的辐射声场对比,表明了实测结果与仿真结果基本一致,验证了理论与测量方法的可行性,能够为实际测量工作提供指导。     

Angle-insensitive flow measurement using Doppler bandwidth

The ability to measure the velocity of blood flow independent of the orientation of the blood vessel could aid in evaluation of many disease processes, such as coronary lesions. Conventional ultrasonic Doppler techniques require knowledge of the beam-to-flow angle, and the Doppler effect vanishes when this angle is 90 degrees . By employing a spherically symmetrical range cell and the Doppler bandwidth instead of the Doppler shift, preliminary results show that flow measurement of ideal uniform flow that has a blunt velocity profile can be made without knowledge of tile orientation of the vessel, even when the angle of orientation is around 90 degrees . But when the technique is applied to a real how that has a parabolic velocity profile, the Doppler bandwidth decreases as the beam-to-flow angle increases. Although the Doppler bandwidth is sensitive to the transducer angle in this situation, the error in determining flow velocity might be acceptable if the transducer angle can be estimated to be within a small range. For this method to be regarded as practical for clinical use, however, a consistent relationship between bandwidth and flow velocity must be demonstrated over some set of clinically relevant conditions. The experimental techniques and results for how measurements of both the ideal uniform flow and the real flow are presented in this paper.     

基于遗传算法的单矢量水听器多目标方位估计

矢量水听器能同时获得声场中某一点的声压标量和质点振速矢量,获得了比常规声压水听器更多的信息。矢量水听器自身是一个空间共点阵,具有一定的空间指向性,这些特点使矢量信号处理技术与声压信号处理技术具有重大差异。根据单个矢量水听器多目标分辨的数学模型,即声压和振速的偶次阶矩组成的非线性联立方程组,研究了该方程的解算方法,给出了可以使用遗传算法求解该非线性方程组的结论和计算精度。     

Real-time angular scatter imaging system for improved tissuecontrast in diagnostic ultrasound images

A new type of real-time ultrasound imaging system has been developed. In contrast to conventional systems, which process only echoes scattered directly back from tissue to form an image, this system images tissue by displaying energy scattered at other angles. In its present form, the system uses one 32 element, 2.4 MHz phased array transducer in transmit and a second, spatially separate 32 element, 2.4 MHz phased array transducer in receive, to detect sound which is scattered away from the transmit transducer. In order to form an image line, the transmit transducer sends into the body a steered pulse, which is tracked dynamically from the side by the receive transducer. The signal detected by the receive transducer is processed in the same manner as in a standard B-mode phased array system. The final display format is a gray scale sector originating from the transmit transducer. Real-time angular scatter images of phantom and in vivo targets have been formed and compared to standard backscatter B-mode images of the same targets     

Design and implementation of a smartphone-based portable ultrasound pulsed-wave Doppler device for blood flow measurement

Blood flow measurement using Doppler ultrasound has become a useful tool for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases and as a physiological monitor. Recently, pocket-sized ultrasound scanners have been introduced for portable diagnosis. The present paper reports the implementation of a portable ultrasound pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler flowmeter using a smartphone. A 10-MHz ultrasonic surface transducer was designed for the dynamic monitoring of blood flow velocity. The directional baseband Doppler shift signals were obtained using a portable analog circuit system. After hardware processing, the Doppler signals were fed directly to a smartphone for Doppler spectrogram analysis and display in real time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of this system for medical ultrasound Doppler signal processing. A Couette flow phantom, consisting of two parallel disks with a 2-mm gap, was used to evaluate and calibrate the device. Doppler spectrograms of porcine blood flow were measured using this stand-alone portable device under the pulsatile condition. Subsequently, in vivo portable system verification was performed by measuring the arterial blood flow of a rat and comparing the results with the measurement from a commercial ultrasound duplex scanner. All of the results demonstrated the potential for using a smartphone as a novel embedded system for portable medical ultrasound applications.