Validation of optimal 2D sparse arrays in focused mode: Phantom experiments

摘要

In parallel with the increasing interest for 3D ultrasound imaging, different design techniques have been investigated to find the best configurations of 2D sparse arrays to scan an entire volume of interest [Trucco, IEEE UFFC99], [Diarra, IEEE TBME13]. In particular, we recently addressed the issue of driving a full 2D array of 1024 elements with a reduced number of channels (128, 192 or 256): the optimal arrays (opti128, opti192 and opti256) were obtained using simulated annealing to sculpt the radiated wideband pressure field at multiple depths [Roux, IEEE UFFC17]. The aim of the present work is to experimentally validate these optimal configurations by performing 3D focused imaging on phantoms.