Motion estimation using selective signal redundancy in subaperture processing

Subaperture processing, based on synthetic aperture and phased array approaches, permits low-cost real-time ultrasonic scanners. Tissue displacements during the multiple subaperture firings may induce significant phase distortions on received echo signals. In this study, we explore adaptive subaperture processing with motion compensation through correlation processing using highly correlated reference signals derived from neighboring receive subapertures. Adaptive subaperture processing with different reference signal sets is tested using experimental RF-data acquired from two different phantoms with 3.5 MHz, 128-element transducer array. The test results show that tissue/transducer motion up to a quarter of a wavelength can be effectively compensated in real-time adaptive imaging