Real-time 3D Ultrasound Imaging System with Advanced Transducer Arrays 
ESPRIT Project 22982 - NICE

Summary

The aim is to lay the foundation of a 3D ultrasound imaging system where the emphasis is on real-time data acquisition and near real-time data visualization. New features of this system are: i) two-dimensional transducer arrays using advanced microstructuring and interconnect techniques; ii) compact front-end electronics (beam former) combining rescaled ASICs and multi-chip modules. Prototype probes will be developed and implemented on a down-scaled beamformer prototype. Image quality evaluation will be performed using tissue-mimicking phantoms.

Objectives

• Definition of a scanning strategy with the aim of minimizing the number of channels, based on sparse array methods. The goal is to be able to find the best sparse array layout pattern for a 2000-3000 element array, leading to optimum image quality with respect to the clinical application.
• Design of electroacoustic structures taking into account specific issues of high density 2d arrays operating at high frequencies.
• Establishment of key technologies for the transducer array manufacturing: especially controlled microstructuring, high density interconnects and micropackaging techniques.
• Development of a compact beamformer to support enough channels. Size, power consumption and cost reduction will be achieved by scaling and integration of A/D converters and beamformer ASICs, and by tighter integration of analog front-end electronics with the use of multi-chip modules.
• Integration of probe and beamformer prototypes. Data acquisition, processing and evaluation using tissue-mimicking phantoms, with respect to image quality.

Participants:
THOMSON MICROSONICS (F)
GE VINGMED ULTRASOUND AS (N)
UNIVERSITY OF OSLO (N)
THOMSON-CSF/LCR (F)
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY (UK)
FRAUNHOFER INSTITUTE/IBMT (D)

Duration: 01.10.1996 - 01.02.2000

• An article about 4D ultrasound and our project can be found in Tell'Us, a publication of the Norwegian Research Council, June 2000: English, German and Norwegian.
• Our work was featured in the cover story of Diagnostic Imaging, July 1998 and called 'some of the most advanced academic work in this area'. See 3-D Ultrasound: Will it become a clinical tool?

• S. Holm, A. Austeng, K. Iranpour and J. F. Hopperstad, "Sparse sampling in array processing," chapter 19 in "Sampling theory and practice" (F. Marvasti Ed.) to be published by Plenum, New York, 2001.
• A. Austeng and S. Holm, " Sparse Arrays for Real-time 3D Imaging, Simulated and Experimental Results," in Proc. IEEE Ultrasonics Symp. 2000, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Oct 2000.
• S. Holm, "Sparse and irregular sampling in array processing," Invited paper in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Acoust., Speech, Sign. Proc. 2000, Istanbul, Turkey, June 2000.
• A. Austeng and S. Holm, "Simple weighting to enhance sparse periodic arrays," in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Acoust., Speech, Sign. Proc. 2000, Istanbul, Turkey, June 2000.
• J.-F. Gelly, J.-M. Bureau, A. Austeng, S. Holm "2D arrays for real-time 3D medical imaging," presented at US Navy Workshop on Acoustic Transduction Materials and Devices, Penn State University, April 2000
• P. Weber, A. Austeng, S. Holm, and N. Aakvaag, "1D and 2D sparse array optimization," Instrumentation Science & Technology, Vol. 27, No. 4, 1999, pp. 235-246.
• A. Austeng and S. Holm, "Sparse 2D Arrays for Real-Time 3D Ultrasound," in Proc. Norwegian Signal Processing. Conf., NORSIG-99, pp. 54-58, Asker, Norway, Sept. 1999.
• C. A. Goat and R .W.Whatmore,  'The effect of grinding conditions on lead zirconate titanate machinability,' J. Europ. Ceram. Soc., vol 19 (6-7), pp 1311-1313, Aug. 1999.
• J. F. Hopperstad and S. Holm,"Optimization of sparse arrays by an improved simulated annealing algorithm",Proc. Int. Workshop on Sampling Theory and Applications, pp. 91-95, Loen, Norway, August 1999.
• S. Holm, "Signal processing in two-dimensional arrays for 3-D imaging," Invited presentation, in Proc. 13th Rotterdam Symposium in Echocardiology, p. 11, June 1999.
• J.-F. Gelly and J.-M. Bureau, "Antennes acoustiques d'imagerie médicale à réseaux bidimensionelles de transducteurs," presented at the Journées Francaises de Radiologie, Paris, Oct. 1998.
• J.-M. Bureau, W. Steichen, G. Le Bail, "A two-dimensional transducer array for real-time 3D medical imaging," in Proc. IEEE Ultrasonics Conf., Sendai, Japan, Oct. 1998.
• J.-F. Synnevåg and S. Holm, "Non-linear propagation of limited diffraction beams," in Proc. IEEE Ultrasonics Conf., Sendai, Japan, Oct. 1998.
• C. A. Goat and R .W.Whatmore,  'The effect of grinding conditions on lead zirconate titanate machinability.' ; Proc. Int. Conf. on Electroceramics and their Applications, Montreux, Switzerland, Aug. 1998.
• P. Weber, L. Peter, A. Austeng, S. Holm, and N. Aakvaag, "1D and 2D sparse array optimization," presented at 2. Symposium on Quantitative Sonography in Clinic and Research, Halle (Saale), Germany, March 1998 (abstract).
• A. Austeng, S. Holm, P. Weber, N. Aakvaag, K. Iranpour, "1D and 2D algorithmically optimized sparse arrays," in Proc. IEEE, Ultrasonics Symposium, Toronto, pp. 1683-1686, Oct. 1997.
• S. Holm, B. Elgetun and G. Dahl, "Weight- and layout-optimized sparse arrays," Proc. Int. Workshop on Sampling Theory and Applications, Aveiro, Portugal, pp. 97-102, June 1997.