Patent ID: 6123670
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
A system for imaging biological tissue, comprising:a transducer array comprising a multiplicity of transducer elements;a transmitter programmed in an optimal imaging mode to activate said transducer array to transmit a first multiplicity of ultrasound beams focused in a region of interest during a first scan, and programmed in a normal imaging mode to activate said transducer array to transmit a second multiplicity of ultrasound beams focused in a background region outside of and contiguous with said region of interest during a second scan, wherein said transmitter is programmed to activate said transducer array to transmit coded ultrasound beams during said first scan and to transmit uncoded ultrasound beams during said second scan;a receiver programmed in said optimal imaging mode to form a respective receive beam of acoustic data from said transducer array for each ultrasound beam focused in said region of interest during said first scan, and programmed in said normal imaging mode to form a respective receive beam of acoustic data from said transducer array for each ultrasound beam focused in said background region during said second scan;a decoding filter programmed to decode said receive beams of acoustic data for said first scan;a converter for converting said decoded receive beams of acoustic data of said first scan into a first set of pixel intensity data and converting said receive beams of acoustic data of said second scan into a second set of pixel intensity data; anda display subsystem for displaying a first image portion in a region of interest of a display image and a second image portion in a background region outside of and contiguous with said region of interest of said display image, said first image portion being derived from said first set of pixel intensity data and having a first resolution, and said second image portion being derived from said second set of pixel intensity data and having a second resolution less than said first resolution.