Clutter suppression using Phase Apodization with Cross-correlation in ultrasound imaging

Dual Apodization with Cross-correlation (DAX) is a novel adaptive beamforming technique that utilizes two distinct receive apodizations in suppressing clutter to enhance ultrasound image contrast. Previous studies have shown that its performance in terms of contrast enhancement diminishes with increasing level of phase aberration and has a tendency to create image artifacts. In this work, we propose a modified version of DAX, known as Phase Apodization with Cross-correlation (PAX), which utilizes sinusoidal phase apodization to further enhance image quality. Our preliminary simulation and experimental results presented in this work showed that PAX performs in a more robust manner than DAX, especially with increased level of phase aberration, to further improve image contrast and reduce image artifacts.