International Business Machines Corporation

Lucien Roquette

Paul T Hurley

Matthieu M Simeoni

Sepand Kashani

A method for computing a tissue reflectivity function (TRF) is provided. This method comprises accessing radio-frequency (RF) data and computing a point spread function (PSF), to obtain the TRF. The RF data accessed are data obtained by beamforming time signals from an array of transducers of an ultrasound device. Next, for each pair (r, s) of given pairs of points in the imaging plane, the PSF is computed as a sum of contributions from at least some of the transducers. Each contribution is computed by evaluating a transducer's transfer function, based on two outputs of a respective time-of-flight function. Such outputs are obtained by evaluating the time-of-flight function at a first point r and at a second point s of each pair, respectively. Finally, the RF function can be deconvoluted, based on the computed PSF, so as to obtain the TRF.

Efficient computation of spatially varying ultrasound analytical point spread functions

A method of beamforming datasets from a tomographic detection system. The system comprises scintillation detectors that are arranged in D detector pairs, D&#x2265;1, wherein the detectors are adapted to count radiation hits. According to the method in one aspect, a tomographic dataset is received for each detector pair coordinates (&#x3b8;, p) of a detector pair d of the D detector pairs, so as to obtain a plurality of tomographic datasets. Each of said datasets is associated with respective detector pair coordinates (&#x3b8;, p). Then, for each point y of interest, the received datasets are coherently combined by weighting the datasets according to respective beamforming weights(y)=&#x3c9;(&#x3b8;, p; y), based on said respective detector pair coordinates (&#x3b8;, p) and coordinates of said each point y of interest. This way, a signal focusing on said each point y is obtained. Related tomographic detection systems and computer program products may be also presented.

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Rueschlikon, Switzerland

Lucien Roquette