Patent ID: 6282963
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A system for imaging ultrasound scatterers, comprising:an ultrasound transducer array for transmitting ultrasound waves and detecting ultrasound echoes reflected by ultrasound scatterers, said transducer array comprising a multiplicity of transducer elements;a multiplicity of pulsers respectively coupled to said multiplicity of transducer elements for pulsing selected transducer elements which form a transmit aperture with a respective multiplicity of transmit waveforms;pulser activation circuitry coupled to said pulsers for generating said multiplicity of transmit waveforms with respective time delays and respective apodization weightings determined in accordance with an aperture function designed to cause said selected transducer elements of said transmit aperture to transmit first and second transmit beams along first and second transmit beam paths during a transmit firing;a receiver coupled to said transducer array for receiving a set of receive signals from selected transducer elements which form a receive aperture subsequent to said transmit firing and for forming first and second beamsummed receive signals from said set of receive signals corresponding to first and second receive beam paths; anda display subsystem for displaying an image having a first scan line which is a function of said first beamsummed receive signal and a second scan line which is a function of said second beamsummed receive signal,wherein said first and second transmit beam paths substantially coincide with said first and second receive beam paths respectively.