Method and apparatus for acoustic subtraction imaging using linear and nonlinear ultrasonic images
December 30, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesUltrasonic method and apparatus for tissue characterization and imaging of nonlinear parameter Ultrasonic diagnostic scan conversion for three dimensional display processing Ultrasonic doppler imager having a reduced hardware adaptive tissue rejection filter arrangement Means for increasing sensitivity in non-linear ultrasound imaging systems Ultrasound imaging system employing phase inversion subtraction to enhance the image Ultrasonic diagnostic imaging with harmonic contrast agents Method and apparatus for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging using transducer array having uniform elevation beamwidth Patent #: 5840032 InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 223599 filed on 12/30/1998US Classes:600/447Electronic array scanningExaminersPrimary: Getzow, Scott M.Assistant: Patel, Maulin Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassA61B 008/00AbstractA method and an apparatus for imaging a nonlinear signal component isolated from the echo signal derived from transmission of a base waveform having fundamental frequency f0 and relatively high peak power. The nonlinear signal component is isolated by subtracting the linear signal component from the echo signal. This is accomplished using a second transmit firing derived from the same base waveform, but having different transmit characteristics, i.e., the base waveform is convolved with a code sequence to form a coded waveform. The coded waveform is transmitted at relatively low peak power. The beamsummed signal produced from the low-peak-power coded transmit is pulse compressed and then subtracted from the beamsummed signal produced from the high-peak-power uncoded transmit. The signals are scaled as necessary to achieve cancellation of the linear signal components when one beamsummed signal is subtracted from the other, leaving the nonlinear signal component for imaging.Other References
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