Real-time Ultrasonic Imaging and Advancements in Non-conventional Methods

Ultrasonic imaging systems commonly used in medical and industrial applications, have not reached their full-potential in performance with respect to temporal, and in some cases, spatial resolution. This is mainly due to inherent limitations associated with present systems requiring line-serial image reconstruction and the limitations on the use of ´effective´ aperture. In this review paper, these limitations associated with conventional technology are analyzed in comparison to an alternative (hybrid) approach to imaging, using electronic and acoustoptical signal processing. The potential of the hybrid approach has been highlighted in terms of its ability to achieve (a) the highest possible speed of ultrasound imaging (exceeding 1000 frames per second compared to ~50 with conventional systems) and (b) focused high-resolution images of the complete object field with every single insonifying pulse.