Parallel Beamformation Method to Enhance Ultrasound Images

Contrast resolution and detail resolution are two important parameters in ultrasound imaging. This paper presents a new method to enhance these parameters, simultaneously. A parallel auxiliary beamformer has been employed whose weightings are such that an estimation of the leaked signal through the main beamformer is obtained. Then the output of main beamformer is modified according to the estimated leaked signal. The efficiency of our adaptive method is demonstrated by applying it over an experimental data set and provided an enhancement of about 22 percent in lateral resolution and 15-20 dB in contrast resolution. This method also has the advantages of simplicity and possibility of real time implementation.