Real-time specific beamforming applied to motion trajectory estimation in ultrasound imaging

In this paper, a motion trajectory estimation method with specific ultrasound RF images is proposed. These specific RF images with axial and lateral oscillations are obtained using an unconventional beamforming technique. The first aim of this paper is to present an experimental setup of real-time implementation of this beamforming technique providing phase images sensitive to subpixel motions. The second aim of the paper is to introduce a method of trajectory estimation. The proposed multi-frame motion estimation method uses a spatio-temporal prediction technique and an analytic estimator of 2-D spatial shifts dedicated to phase images.