Ultrasound system and ultrasound diagnostic apparatus for imaging scatterers in a medium

US6790182B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV · NL

Inventors

• Kai Eck · Aachen, DE
• Georg Schmitz · Meckenheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 4, 2001
• Grant date: Sep 14, 2004
• Expiry date: Sep 4, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S15/8927
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An ultrasound imaging system for imaging ultrasound scatterers, comprising a probe (208) for transmitting ultrasound waves and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by said ultrasound scatterers, wherein said probe comprises a first group of transducer elements, labeled transmitting group (T), to transmit ultrasound waves, and a distinct second group of transducer elements, labeled receiving group (R), to detect ultrasound echoes reflected by said ultrasound scatterers. The system also comprises a processing system (202) comprising transmission and reception means, coupled to said probe (208), for providing coded signal to said transmitting group (T) and receiving signals from said receiving group (R) respectively; transmission beam-forming means (103) for focussing the ultrasound waves on a focus line, reception beam-forming means (105) for forming beam-summed received signals from signals received from the focus line and processing means for processing said beam-summed received signals to form decoded signals so as; and means for displaying an image (109) that is a function of said decoded signals.