Robust and Accurate Ultrasound 3-D Imaging Algorithm Incorporating Adaptive Smoothing Techniques

Kenshi SAHO; Tomoki KIMURA; Shouhei KIDERA; Hirofumi TAKI; Takuya SAKAMOTO; Toru SATO

doi:10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572

Robust and Accurate Ultrasound 3-D Imaging Algorithm Incorporating Adaptive Smoothing Techniques

Kenshi SAHO, Tomoki KIMURA, Shouhei KIDERA, Hirofumi TAKI, Takuya SAKAMOTO, Toru SATO

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Many researchers have proposed ultrasound imaging techniques for product inspection; however, most of these techniques are aimed at detecting the existence of flaws in products. The acquisition of an accurate three-dimensional image using ultrasound has the potential to be a useful product inspection tool. In this paper we apply the Envelope algorithm, which was originally proposed for accurate UWB (Ultra Wide-Band) radar imaging systems, to ultrasound imaging. We show that the Envelope algorithm results in image deterioration, because it is difficult for ultrasound measurements to achieve high signal to noise (S/N) ratio values as a result of a high level of noise and interference from the environment. To reduce errors, we propose two adaptive smoothing techniques that effectively stabilize the estimated image produced by the Envelope algorithm. An experimental study verifies that the proposed imaging algorithm has accurate 3-D imaging capability with a mean error of 6.1 µm, where the transmit center frequency is 2.0 MHz and the S/N ratio is 23 dB. These results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed imaging algorithm compared with a conventional Envelope algorithm.

Publication: IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications Vol.E95-B No.2 pp.572-580

Publication Date: 2012/02/01

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Online ISSN: 1745-1345

DOI: 10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572

Type of Manuscript: PAPER

Category: Sensing

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Kenshi SAHO, Tomoki KIMURA, Shouhei KIDERA, Hirofumi TAKI, Takuya SAKAMOTO, Toru SATO, "Robust and Accurate Ultrasound 3-D Imaging Algorithm Incorporating Adaptive Smoothing Techniques" in IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications, vol. E95-B, no. 2, pp. 572-580, February 2012, doi: 10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572.
Abstract: Many researchers have proposed ultrasound imaging techniques for product inspection; however, most of these techniques are aimed at detecting the existence of flaws in products. The acquisition of an accurate three-dimensional image using ultrasound has the potential to be a useful product inspection tool. In this paper we apply the Envelope algorithm, which was originally proposed for accurate UWB (Ultra Wide-Band) radar imaging systems, to ultrasound imaging. We show that the Envelope algorithm results in image deterioration, because it is difficult for ultrasound measurements to achieve high signal to noise (S/N) ratio values as a result of a high level of noise and interference from the environment. To reduce errors, we propose two adaptive smoothing techniques that effectively stabilize the estimated image produced by the Envelope algorithm. An experimental study verifies that the proposed imaging algorithm has accurate 3-D imaging capability with a mean error of 6.1 µm, where the transmit center frequency is 2.0 MHz and the S/N ratio is 23 dB. These results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed imaging algorithm compared with a conventional Envelope algorithm.
URL: https://globals.ieice.org/en_transactions/communications/10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572/_p

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@ARTICLE{e95-b_2_572,
author={Kenshi SAHO, Tomoki KIMURA, Shouhei KIDERA, Hirofumi TAKI, Takuya SAKAMOTO, Toru SATO, },
journal={IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications},
title={Robust and Accurate Ultrasound 3-D Imaging Algorithm Incorporating Adaptive Smoothing Techniques},
year={2012},
volume={E95-B},
number={2},
pages={572-580},
abstract={Many researchers have proposed ultrasound imaging techniques for product inspection; however, most of these techniques are aimed at detecting the existence of flaws in products. The acquisition of an accurate three-dimensional image using ultrasound has the potential to be a useful product inspection tool. In this paper we apply the Envelope algorithm, which was originally proposed for accurate UWB (Ultra Wide-Band) radar imaging systems, to ultrasound imaging. We show that the Envelope algorithm results in image deterioration, because it is difficult for ultrasound measurements to achieve high signal to noise (S/N) ratio values as a result of a high level of noise and interference from the environment. To reduce errors, we propose two adaptive smoothing techniques that effectively stabilize the estimated image produced by the Envelope algorithm. An experimental study verifies that the proposed imaging algorithm has accurate 3-D imaging capability with a mean error of 6.1 µm, where the transmit center frequency is 2.0 MHz and the S/N ratio is 23 dB. These results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed imaging algorithm compared with a conventional Envelope algorithm.},
keywords={},
doi={10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572},
ISSN={1745-1345},
month={February},}

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TY - JOUR
TI - Robust and Accurate Ultrasound 3-D Imaging Algorithm Incorporating Adaptive Smoothing Techniques
T2 - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
SP - 572
EP - 580
AU - Kenshi SAHO
AU - Tomoki KIMURA
AU - Shouhei KIDERA
AU - Hirofumi TAKI
AU - Takuya SAKAMOTO
AU - Toru SATO
PY - 2012
DO - 10.1587/transcom.E95.B.572
JO - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
SN - 1745-1345
VL - E95-B
IS - 2
JA - IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications
Y1 - February 2012
AB - Many researchers have proposed ultrasound imaging techniques for product inspection; however, most of these techniques are aimed at detecting the existence of flaws in products. The acquisition of an accurate three-dimensional image using ultrasound has the potential to be a useful product inspection tool. In this paper we apply the Envelope algorithm, which was originally proposed for accurate UWB (Ultra Wide-Band) radar imaging systems, to ultrasound imaging. We show that the Envelope algorithm results in image deterioration, because it is difficult for ultrasound measurements to achieve high signal to noise (S/N) ratio values as a result of a high level of noise and interference from the environment. To reduce errors, we propose two adaptive smoothing techniques that effectively stabilize the estimated image produced by the Envelope algorithm. An experimental study verifies that the proposed imaging algorithm has accurate 3-D imaging capability with a mean error of 6.1 µm, where the transmit center frequency is 2.0 MHz and the S/N ratio is 23 dB. These results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed imaging algorithm compared with a conventional Envelope algorithm.
ER -