An ultrasound diagnostic device generates a frame reception signal by compounding sub-frame reception signals acquired from a subject body through an ultrasound probe. The sub-frame reception signals are generated through sub-scans composing an ultrasound scan. Between the sub-scans, a range in the scanned subject body differs due to a different ultrasound beam steering angle used. The diagnostic device includes a control circuit with a reception signal acquirer acquiring sub-frame reception signals, and a map creator creating sub-frame enhancement maps corresponding to the sub-frame reception signals, the maps created by calculating, for a pixel region reception signal, an enhancement amount according to a characteristic value calculated based on the pixel region reception signal. The diagnostic device also includes an enhancement-applied reception signal generator generating an enhancement-applied frame reception signal by compounding pixel region reception signals considering the enhancement amount included in at least one sub-frame enhancement map.

Systems and methods of ultrasound imaging of an object that includes multiple depth zones. Each of the zones can be imaged using a different frequency, or the same frequency as another zone. A method includes imaging a first zone using plane wave imaging, imaging a second zone using tissue harmonic imaging, and imaging a third zone using fundamental and subharmonic deep imaging. The depth of each zone can vary based on the ultrasonic array, and correspondingly, the F # used for imaging the zone. In an example, zones can be imaged at different F #'s, for example, at F #1 for the first zone, at F #2, F #3, or F #6 for one or more zones that extend deeper into the object than the first zone. The method can also include forming an image based on the received signals from the multiple zones, and blending the transitions between the zones.

A medical diagnostic imaging system and method for adjusting image gain compensation when changing from a first imaging state to a second imaging state, where a first image power value is determined from an image acquired in a first imaging state with a first image gain compensation, a second image power value is determined from an image acquired in a second imaging state with an initial second image gain compensation, an image power change value is determined from the first image power value and the second image power value, and an adjusted second image gain compensation calculated from the initial second image gain compensation and the image power change value.

A continuous wave, frequency diverse array (FDA) Detector, Transmitter, Receiver and/or Method are disclosed. The frequencies can be radio waves or sonic waves. Different frequencies are applied to each transmitter element, to generate transmissions schemes with repeating patterns of constructive interference (e.g. each pattern may be a spiral). The patterns differ (e.g. opposite spiral directions to help determine azimuth, or different spiral rotation speeds to help determine range), to a sufficient extent that from the timing of signal reflected back as a result of each one, the azimuth and/or range of an object can be determined, irrespective of where the object/target is in the field of view. Use of continuous wave transmissions enables lower transmission powers and/or avoids requiring an expensive beam-steering transmitters or receivers.

Systems and methods for increasing effective line density of volume compound ultrasound images while maintaining the frame rate, penetration depth, and other image characteristics are provided. The method includes acquiring a first lateral plane at a first elevational position. The first lateral plane includes a first set of receive lines at a first set of lateral positions. The method includes acquiring a second lateral plane at a second elevational position adjacent the first elevational position. The second lateral plane includes a second set of receive lines at a second set of lateral positions laterally offset from the first set of lateral positions. The method includes combining the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane to generate a compound image and presenting the compound image at a display system. The compound image may be a volume compound image in an A-plane generated based on volume compound imaging rendering algorithms.

Methods for contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging that implement coded multi-pulses in each of two or more different transmission events are described. Data acquired in response to the two different transmission events are decoded and combined. In some embodiments, the coded multi-pulses include two or more consecutive Hadamard encoded ultrasound pulses. In other embodiments, multiplane wave pulses can be used. Such multiplane wave pulses can be coded using Hadamard encoding, as one example. In addition, the multiplane wave pulses can be further coded using amplitude modulation, pulse inversion, or pulse inversion amplitude modulation techniques.

The invention provides methods and systems for generating an ultrasound image. In a method, the generation of an ultrasound image comprises: obtaining channel data, the channel data defining a set of imaged points; for each imaged point: isolating the channel data; performing a spatial spectral estimation on the isolated channel data; and selectively attenuating the spatial spectral estimation channel data, thereby generating filtered channel data; and summing the filtered channel data, thereby forming a filtered ultrasound image. In some examples, the method comprises aperture extrapolation. The aperture extrapolation improves the lateral resolution of the ultrasound image. In other examples, the method comprises transmit extrapolation. The transmit extrapolation improves the contrast of the image. In addition, the transmit extrapolation improves the frame rate and reduces the motion artifacts in the ultrasound image. In further examples, the aperture and transmit extrapolations may be combined.

The disclosure provides for a method for generating an ultrasound image that includes transmitting, by a plurality of transmitters in a transducer, at least two transmit beams at different angles, where at least parts of the transmit beams cover an overlapping region, and receiving, by a plurality of sensors of the transducer, reflected signals of the transmit beams. The method further comprises calculating channel coherence for the received signals to produce one or more channel coherence images, and calculating transmit coherence for the received signals to produce one or more transmit coherence images. The information from at least one of the channel coherence images and at least one of the transmit coherence images are combined to identify moving objects. The received signals from different transmits in overlapping regions are then processed to produce a final image that is compensated for the moving objects.

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.

Functional ultrasound imaging (“fUS”) is used to facilitate the placement of electrodes for spinal cord stimulation and to optimize and update stimulation parameters for spinal cord stimulation devices.