Preface

Chapter 8 **Speckle Noise Reduction in Medical Ultrasound Images 201** P.S. Hiremath, Prema T. Akkasaligar and Sharan Badiger

Chapter 9 **Strategies for Hardware Reduction on the Design of Portable**

Chapter 10 **Breaking Through the Speed Barrier — Advancements in**

D. Romero-Laorden, J. Villazón-Terrazas, O. Martínez-Graullera and

**Ultrasound Imaging Systems 243**

**High-Speed Imaging 269**

G. P. P. Gunarathne

A. Ibáñez

**VI** Contents

Ultrasonic imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool available to medical practitioners, engineers and researchers today. Due to the relative safety, and the non-invasive nature, ultrasonic imaging has become one of the most rapidly advancing technologies. These rapid advances are directly related to the parallel advancements in electronics, computing, and transducer technology together with sophisticated signal processing techniques. This book focuses on state of the art developments in ultrasonic imaging applications and underlying technologies presented by leading practitioners and researchers from many parts of the world.

Applications of ultrasound imaging in medicine, industry and research are extensive and wide-ranging. In medical diagnostics, ultrasonic imaging of anatomical structures and mov‐ ing tissue in real-time is routine. Ultrasonic imaging is also now widely used in image guid‐ ed medical intervention procedures and in aiding therapeutic applications. Industrial applications of ultrasound imaging are also wide spread and growing, e.g. in Non-destruc‐ tive-evaluation (NDE) and underwater acoustics (Sonar). Acoustic microscopy at GHz fre‐ quencies can be used to visualise sub-surface microscopic structures that can yield information not possible with light.

It is important to note that imaging as applied to the application domains mentioned above; namely, medical diagnostics, NDE and Sonar have fundamental similarities and differences. Similarities in imaging modalities have greatly helped researchers working in different do‐ mains to benefit from each other, while the differences have led to the evolution of intrigu‐ ing technologies exclusive to those applications.

The 10 chapters in this book are organised in such a way that Chapters 1 – 5 are focused on state-of-the-art applications and developments in ultrasound imaging systems for medical diagnostics and image guided interventional and therapeutic procedures. Chapter 6 presents research developments in the use of Functional Transcranial Doppler Spectroscopy for evaluating Neurocognitive functions and their differences between genders. Chapter 7 focuses on the detection of follicles and ovarian classification using ultrasound images. Chapter 8 presents a study on the use of various algorithms to reduce speckle noise in ultra‐ sound images.

Chapter 9 presents techniques and strategies for hardware reduction at the design stage of portable ultrasound systems. Chapter 10, entitled "Breaking through the Speed Barrier" in‐ vestigates primary performance bottlenecks of conventional ultrasonic imaging technology and presents work done in developing an unconventional imaging system that has the po‐ tential to reach the maximum theoretical limits of speed of imaging and resolution.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy and gain much benefit in reading this book. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the authors who worked so hard and gave a lot of time in contributing to this book. The professional support given by the editorial board and the officials of InTech at every stage of this project was excellent. Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my dear friend and colleague, Mr Andrew Fairhead, Honorary lec‐ turer and Former ultrasound Engineer at NHS Grampian, for his valuable comments and support throughout this project.

#### **Gunti Gunarathne (PhD, FIET)**

**Chapter 1**

**3D Ultrasound Imaging in Image-Guided Intervention**

Soon after the discovery of x-rays, physicians recognized the importance of using imaging to guide interventional procedures. As imaging technology became more advanced with the development of fluoroscopic, CT, MR and ultrasound systems, image-guided interventions have become a critical tool for physicians in dealing with complex interventional and surgical procedures. Today, image-guided procedures make use of computer-based systems to provide real-time three-dimensional (3D) information of the anatomy of the patient being treated. The information is presented in various ways, such as virtual graphical image overlays, or multiscreen approaches to help the physician precisely visualize and target the anatomical site. Since the development of Computed Tomography (CT) in the early 1970s, the availability of 3D anatomical information has revolutionized diagnostic radiology by providing physicians with 3D images of anatomical structures. The pace of development has continued with the development of 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron Emission Tomography (PET), and multi-slice and cone beam CT imaging. These imaging modalities have stimulated the

Although 2D ultrasound (2D US) imaging has been used extensively for interventional procedures, such as biopsy and guidance of ablation procedures, 3D ultrasound is slowly growing in clinical applications [1]. Today, the majority of US-based diagnostic and interven‐ tional procedures are still performed using conventional 2D imaging. Over the past two decades, university-based investigators and commercial companies have utilized both 1D and 2D arrays while developing 3D ultrasound (3D US) imaging techniques. 3D US techniques have been increasingly used in diagnosis, minimally invasive image-guided interventions and intra-operative use of imaging [2-4]. Today, most US system manufacturers provide 3D US imaging capability as part of the systems. Advances in 3D US imaging technology have resulted in high quality 3D images of complex anatomical structures and pathology, which are used in diagnosis of disease and to guide interventional and surgical procedures [5-9].

> © 2013 Fenster et al.; licensee InTech. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2013 Fenster et al.; licensee InTech. This is a paper distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

development of a wide variety of image-guided interventional procedures.

Aaron Fenster, Jeff Bax, Hamid Neshat, Nirmal Kakani and Cesare Romagnoli

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55230

**1. Introduction**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

School of Engineering, Robert Gordon University, UK.
