Fast volumetric ultrasound facilitates high-resolution 3D mapping of tissue compartments

Volumetric ultrasound imaging has the potential for operator-independent acquisition and enhanced field of view. Panoramic acquisition has many applications across ultrasound; spanning musculoskeletal, liver, breast, and pediatric imaging; and image-guided therapy. Challenges in high-resolution human imaging, such as subtle motion and the presence of bone or gas, have limited such acquisition. These issues can be addressed with a large transducer aperture and fast acquisition and processing. Programmable, ultrafast ultrasound scanners with a high channel count provide an unprecedented opportunity to optimize volumetric acquisition. In this work, we implement nonlinear processing and develop distributed beamformation to achieve fast acquisition over a 47-centimeter aperture. As a result, we achieve a 50-micrometer -6-decibel point spread function at 5 megahertz and resolve in-plane targets. A large volume scan of a human limb is completed in a few seconds, and in a 2-millimeter dorsal vein, the image intensity difference between the vessel center and surrounding tissue was similar to 50 decibels, facilitating three-dimensional reconstruction of the vasculature.

Automated summary

Volumetric ultrasound imaging technology allows for operator-independent acquisition and improved field of view. This study demonstrates the implementation of nonlinear processing and distributed beamformation to achieve fast and high-resolution imaging over a large transducer aperture. The technology has wide applications across various areas, including musculoskeletal, liver, breast, and pediatric imaging, as well as image-guided therapy.