Real-time angular scatter imaging system for improved tissue contrast in diagnostic ultrasound images

A new type of real-time ultrasound imaging system has been developed. In contrast to conventional systems, which process only echoes scattered directly back from tissue to form an image, this system images tissue by displaying energy scattered at other angles. In its present form, the system uses one 32 element, 2.4 MHz phased array transducer in transmit and a second, spatially separate 32 element, 2.4 MHz phased array transducer in receive, to detect sound which is scattered away from the transmit transducer. In order to form an image line, the transmit transducer sends into the body a steered pulse, which is tracked dynamically from the side by the receive transducer. The signal detected by the receive transducer is processed in the same manner as in a standard B-mode phased array system. The final display format is a gray scale sector originating from the transmit transducer. Real-time angular scatter images of phantom and in vivo targets have been formed and compared to standard backscatter B-mode images of the same targets.<>