A dual frequency transducer array includes one or more low frequency transducer arrays and a high frequency transducer array. Unfocused ultrasound such as plane waves are transmitted by the one or more low frequency transducer arrays in a number of different directions into an imaging region of the high frequency transducer array. High frequency echo signals produced by excited contrast agent in the imaging region are received by the high frequency transducer array to produce a contrast agent image. In another embodiment, the high frequency transducer produces unfocused ultrasound to excite the contrast agent in the imaging region and the low frequency transducer(s) receives low frequency echo signals from the excited contrast agent. A tissue image is created from echo signals received by the high or low frequency transducer. Echo data from the tissue image and the contrast agent image are combined to produce a combined tissue/contrast agent image.

In accordance with a method for characterization of particles in a fluid-filled hollow structure, an ultrasound signal with a frequency spectrum, which exhibits a local maximum at a variable measurement frequency, is emitted in the direction of a part area of the hollow structure and reflected components are detected. The measurement frequency is tuned in a predetermined measurement interval, and depending on the detected reflected components, a spectral response curve is acquired as a function of the measurement frequency. Depending on the response curve, at least one characteristic property for a part of the particles located in the part area of the hollow structure is determined. The characteristic property includes a measure for an adhesion of the particles of the part of the particles located in the part area of the hollow structure.

A system may include an ultrasound probe and a controller unit configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe. The controller unit may be further configured to transmit ultrasound signals using the ultrasound probe toward an area of interest in a patient's body, wherein the ultrasound signals include a fundamental frequency signal and at least one harmonic frequency signal; receive echo signals from the area of interest based on the transmitted ultrasound signals; obtain a fundamental frequency echo signal and at least one harmonic frequency echo signal from the received echo signals; and generate a visual representation of the area of interest based on the obtained fundamental frequency echo signal and the obtained at least one harmonic frequency echo signal.

Estimation of vibration amplitude of intra-capillary micro-bubbles driven to vibrate with an incident ultrasound wave with amplitude and frequency to adjust the drive amplitude of the incident wave to obtain specified vibration amplitude of extra-capillary tissue. Estimation uses transmission of M groups of pulse complexes having low frequency pulse (LF) at bubble drive frequency, and high frequency (HF) pulse with angular frequency ω.sub.H> ~ 5 ω.sub.L, and pulse duration shorter than π/4ω.sub.L along HF beam. The phase between HF and LF pulses is ω.sub.Lt.sub.m for each group, where t.sub.m varies between the groups. Within each group, LF pulse varies between pulse complexes in amplitude and/or, where the LF pulse can be zero for a pulse complex, and LF pulse is different from zero for pulse complex within each group. HF receive signals are processed to obtain a parameter relating to bubble vibration amplitude when the HF pulse hits bubble.

Estimation of vibration amplitude of intra-capillary micro-bubbles driven to vibrate with an incident ultrasound wave with amplitude and frequency to adjust the drive amplitude of the incident wave to obtain specified vibration amplitude of extra-capillary tissue. Estimation uses transmission of M groups of pulse complexes having low frequency pulse (LF) at bubble drive frequency, and high frequency (HF) pulse with angular frequency ω.sub.H>˜5ω.sub.L, and pulse duration shorter than π/4ω.sub.L along HF beam. The phase between HF and LF pulses is ω.sub.Lt.sub.m for each group, where t.sub.m varies between the groups. Within each group, LF pulse varies between pulse complexes in amplitude and/or, where the LF pulse can be zero for a pulse complex, and LF pulse is different from zero for pulse complex within each group. HF receive signals are processed to obtain a parameter relating to bubble vibration amplitude when the HF pulse hits bubble.

An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus which includes: an imaging unit which forms images of a subject; a motion detection region setting unit which selects a first image from among the images which include images of the ultrasound contrast agent, selects a second image from among the images which do not include images of the ultrasound contrast agent, and sets, as a motion detection region, a region in which an amount of image change between the first image and the second image is smaller than a predetermined amount; and an output unit which outputs, as the ultrasound diagnostic image, the second image on which a position adjustment has been performed to match a position of the motion detection region set by the motion detection region setting unit and a position of a region included in the second image and similar in an image feature to the motion detection region.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving circuitry, an input circuitry, and a processing circuitry. The transmitting and receiving circuitry transmits a first ultrasound wave used for changing the shape of a tissue in the body of a patient and transmits/receives a second ultrasound wave that is transmitted/received with timing different from that of the first ultrasound wave. The input circuitry receives an input of a request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted. When the input circuitry has received the input of the request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted, the processing circuitry controls the transmission of the first ultrasound wave in accordance with the strength of a reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave or one or more pixel values of an image resulting from an imaging process performed by using the reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave.

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced detection of suspicious regions.

Various approaches for focusing an ultrasound transducer include introducing at least one transient acoustic reflector located in proximity to at least one target region; generating multiple sonications to the at least one target region; measuring a reflection signal of each of the sonications off the at least one transient acoustic reflector; selecting the measured reflection signals, and based at least in part on the selected reflection signals, adjusting a parameter value associated with at least one of the transducer elements so as to improve an ultrasound focus at the target region.

According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus transmits ultrasound waves to a subject from a plurality of transducers each corresponding to one of a plurality of channels, and receives reflected waves generated in the subject by the transducers. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a control circuit and a receiving circuit. The control circuit controls channels used to transmit ultrasound waves and channels not used to transmit ultrasound waves among the channels. The receiving circuit receives the reflected waves, and includes a preamplifier and an impedance control circuit. The preamplifier amplifies the reflected waves. The impedance control circuit is located on the upstream side of the preamplifier, and sets line impedance in a transmitting period, in which the ultrasound waves are transmitted from the transducers to the inside of the subject, to be lower than that in a receiving period, in which the reflected waves are received by the transducers.