Design of a medical ultrasound imaging system based on a ring array

In order to address the limitations of traditional handheld ultrasound scanning systems, such as narrow field of view, and non-standardization, this article presents the design and implementation of comprehensive ultrasound imaging system based on a ring array. This system encompasses a 512-element ultrasonic annular array, a high-performance 256 / 1 024-channel acquisition circuit, an efficient PCIe-based data transmission module, and comprehensive software for acquisition control and rapid imaging. The multi-channel acquisition circuit comprising eight 32 / 128 ultrasonic transceiver control modules enables full-matrix data acquisition and high-speed transmission of 512 annular array elements within 12 seconds, achieving a remarkable data transmission efficiency of 1. 2 Gb / s. The system boasts a broadband frequency range of 0. 16 ~ 15 MHz and adjustable A / D sampling rates ranging from 12. 5 ~ 100 MHz, which meets the diverse requirements of clinical and experimental applications. The acquisition control software facilitates multi-mode ultrasound data acquisition, enabling the rapid imaging monitoring and secure storage of full-matrix data for subsequent precise image reconstruction. Phantom and in-vivo experiments show that the system can obtain an imaging range exceeding 10 cm× 10 cm, resolve 1 mm abnormalities accurately, and provide detailed visualization of interfaces within biological tissues such as fat, muscle, and bone. These results demonstrate the system′ s capability of performing circumferential scanning, producing comprehensive and standardized medical ultrasound images with a wide field of view. © 2024 Science Press. All rights reserved.