Tissue attenuation estimation based on standard ultrasonographic data

Abstract

Space-variant ultrasound attenuation in tissue is one of the phenomena that should be taken into account when reconstructing images from ultrasonographic data. This contribution presents a method to estimate automatically one-dimensional attenuation profiles along isolated "rays", forming ultrasonic images. The estimates are based entirely on digital ultrasonographic data, without any reference to a-priori knowledge on anatomical structures involved. Using a standard model of ultrasound propagation, the "layered" and discretised formulation allowed for simplified, thus manageable, least-squares-error estimation of the attenuation profiles. The results of analysing ultrasonographic data obtained from biological objects, as presented on figures, are rather promising.