The goal of this program is to develop a speckle-free ultrasound imaging system for diagnoses of soft tissue. We have developed such a prototype in our laboratories for nondestructive testing applications. The basis of the technology is a fully populated microelectronic array of piezoelectric pixels and readout circuitry designed to generate C-scan images over an area at 30 frames per second or higher. The imagery generated is striking for its radiographic appearance and its lack of speckle. When viewed in real time, these images convey more information as minor manual adjustments of viewing angle and other settings are made. The imagery appears qualitatively similar to that obtained with X-ray fluoroscopy. The ultrasound camera is inherently a low cost design. It is a small and lightweight, technologically similar to commercial camcorders. The patented ultrasonic array receiving chip is responsive over a wide range of ultrasonic frequencies although most imaging has been done between 1 MHz and 10 MHz. Standard video electronics and image processing are used to format the image for presentation to the user. During the proposed program the prototype camera system will be evaluated for medical applications.
The ultrasonic camera that is the object of the research will be commercially significant. It will provide non-specializing clinicians with a high resolution image for tissue diagnoses. The system is a low cost design and compatible with standard video equipment. The images generated are similar to X-ray fluoroscopy and easily interpretable.
