A robust auto-focusing algorithm for medical ultrasound: consistent phase references from scaled cross-correlation functions

This work features a robust auto-focusing phase aberration correction algorithm for digitally sampled coherent imaging systems such as medical ultrasound. The robust nature is attributed to the establishment of a consistent phase reference relative to which the aberrant channel phases are estimated. The algorithm has its foundation in detailed theoretical analyses of the scattering of ultrasound wave packets in a random scattering medium. Illustrated Monte Carlo simulations exhibit excellent algorithmic performance.