Intravascular ultrasound tissue harmonic imaging: A simulation study

• Published in: Ultrasonics Vol. 44; pp. e185 - e188
• Main Authors: Frijlink, M.E., Goertz, D.E., Bouakaz, A., van der Steen, A.F.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 22-12-2006
• Subjects: Algorithms; Computer Simulation; Coronary Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Intravascular ultrasound; Models, Cardiovascular; Nonlinear; Phantoms, Imaging; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Simulation; Tissue harmonic imaging; Ultrasonography, Interventional - instrumentation; Ultrasonography, Interventional - methods; Nonlinear; Tissue harmonic imaging; Simulation; Intravascular ultrasound
• ISSN: 0041-624X; 1874-9968
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2006.06.044

Recently, the in vivo feasibility of tissue harmonic imaging (THI) with a mechanically-rotated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheter was experimentally demonstrated. To isolate the second harmonic signal content, both pulse inversion (PI) and analog filtering were used. In the present paper, we report the development of a simulation tool to investigate nonlinear IVUS beams and the influence of rotation on the efficiency of PI signal processing. Nonlinear 20
MHz beams were simulated in a homogeneous tissue-mimicking medium, resulting in second harmonic pressure fields at 40
MHz. The acoustic response from tissue was simulated by summing radio-frequency (RF) pulse–echo responses from many point-scatterers. When the transducer was rotated with respect to the point-scatterers, the fundamental frequency suppression using PI degraded rapidly with increasing inter-pulse angles. The results of this study will aid in the optimization of harmonic IVUS imaging systems.