IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control最新文献

{"title":"Enhancing 3-D Radio Frequency Data in Quantitative Acoustic Microscopy Using Quantum-Driven Prior at 250 MHz and 500 MHz","authors":"Sayantan Dutta;Jonathan Mamou","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3576239","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3576239","url":null,"abstract":"Quantitative acoustic microscopy (QAM) uses ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound (>200 MHz) to create 2-D maps of acoustic and mechanical properties of tissue at microscopic resolutions (<inline-formula> <tex-math>$lt 8 ~mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula>m). Despite significant advancements in QAM, the spatial resolution of current systems, operating at 250 and 500 MHz, may remain insufficient for certain biomedical applications. However, developing a QAM system with finer resolution by using higher-frequency transducers is costly and necessitates skilled operators, and these systems are more sensitive to the outside environment (e.g., vibrations and temperature). This study extends a resolution enhancement framework by proposing a generalized 3-D approach for processing QAM radio frequency (RF) data. The framework utilizes a quantum-based adaptive denoiser, DeQuIP, implemented as a regularization-prior (RED-prior) to enhance QAM maps. Key contributions include temporal hyperparameter optimization, accelerated algorithm integration, and application of quantum interaction theory. DeQuIP employs quantum wave functions, derived from the acquired data, as adaptive transformations that function as an RED-prior. This enables the framework to generate a temporally tailored regularization functional, allowing accurate modeling of complex physical phenomena in ultrasound propagation and providing a significant advantage over traditional regularizations in QAM imaging. The effectiveness of the proposed framework in enhancing resolution is demonstrated through both qualitative and quantitative analyses of experimental 2-D parameter maps obtained from 250- and 500-MHz QAM systems, alongside comparisons with a standard framework. Our framework demonstrates superior performance in recovering fine and subtle details, enhancing the spatial resolution of QAM maps by 38.2%–39.5%, surpassing the state-of-the-art framework, which achieved only 13.4%–26.1% improvement, and shows notable visual improvements in spatial details when compared to histology images.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 8","pages":"1119-1133"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144215622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microvascular Ultrasound Imaging in the Neonatal Brain: From Advanced Doppler to Super-Resolution","authors":"Laura May Davis;David Q. Le;Santiago Martinez-Correa;Misun Hwang","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3573143","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3573143","url":null,"abstract":"In imaging the neonatal brain, overcoming the diffraction limit of conventional ultrasound is required to achieve images of sufficient spatial resolution. Super-resolution imaging uses ultrasound localization microscopy to image inert microbubble contrast at high frame rates, allowing exquisite detail and flow information on intracranial vessels. While currently more common in research settings, super-resolution imaging is beginning to see selective clinical use. In contrast, advanced Doppler techniques, which do not require contrast, offer flow imaging far better than that of conventional Doppler and are readily available in the clinical setting. We discuss the pros and cons of both modalities and the promising applications of both in the clinical setting with a series of case examples.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 7","pages":"879-888"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144208443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High Figure-of-Merit 36Y-Cut LiNbO3 Lamb Wave Resonators With Dissipation Loss Optimization","authors":"Yushuai Liu;Xuankai Xu;Jiawei Li;Tao Wu","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3575500","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3575500","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, we present the development of high figure-of-merit (FOM) symmetric Lamb wave (S0) mode resonators using 36Y-cut single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3) thin films. This study enhances the quality factor (<inline-formula> <tex-math>${Q}_{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) through optimization of anchor dimensions and in-plane rotated angle (<inline-formula> <tex-math>$alpha $ </tex-math></inline-formula>). A periodic relationship between <inline-formula> <tex-math>${Q}_{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math>$alpha $ </tex-math></inline-formula> was observed, which is attributed to the anisotropic viscosity coefficient (<inline-formula> <tex-math>$ eta $ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of the S0 mode in 36Y-cut LiNbO3. A method of acoustic delay lines (ADLs) for evaluating <inline-formula> <tex-math>$ eta $ </tex-math></inline-formula> related to the anisotropic intrinsic loss mechanism is proposed on this platform. In this method, the experimental results indicate an inverse correlation between <inline-formula> <tex-math>$ eta $ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math>$ {Q}_{s} $ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Notably, our findings explicitly demonstrate that the condition for minimal acoustic loss does not universally correspond to <inline-formula> <tex-math>$text {PFA}=0$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, emphasizing the necessity of a quantitative <inline-formula> <tex-math>$eta $ </tex-math></inline-formula> analysis. Our optimized resonator exhibits an electromechanical coupling coefficient (<inline-formula> <tex-math>${k}_{t}^{2}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) of 12.3% and a significant <inline-formula> <tex-math>${Q}_{s}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> of 2273 at 323.6 MHz, resulting in an FOM of approximately 280. The reported platform can potentially deliver high-performance radio frequency (RF) applications.Index Terms— Acoustic propagating angle, high figure-of-merit (FOM), lamb wave resonators, lithium niobate.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 8","pages":"1021-1028"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144208442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Layer-Wise Speed-of-Sound Estimation and Beamforming of Segmented Media","authors":"Pat De la Torre;Di Xiao;Alfred C. H. Yu","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3565273","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3565273","url":null,"abstract":"Speed-of-sound (SoS) is a fundamental acoustic property of tissues that is essential for ultrasound image beamforming. The SoS can also act as a quantitative biomarker for pathology in tissue. Typically, the beamforming SoS is assumed to be 1540 m/s for human imaging, but it may be imprecise for imaging scenarios with inhomogeneous tissue. In this work, we present a novel framework for multilayer SoS estimation and propose a SoS-aware (SoSA) beamformer to realize high-quality ultrasound imaging. Our framework consists of three core steps: segmentation of the media layers, sequential estimation of each layer’s SoS assuming intra-layer homogeneity, and SoSA beamforming based on the estimated SoS map. We validated our algorithm in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo in comparison to through-transmission SoS measurements. Across 126 stacked agar phantom experiments (pairwise combinations of six staircase phantoms with different SoS values), the average SoS estimation error of our framework was 4.9 m/s over the top layers and 1.6 m/s over the bottom layers. In nine stacked bovine and porcine sample experiments, we achieved an average error of 2.7 m/s with an improved point target lateral resolution of 32.5% compared to conventional beamforming with a nominal SoS of 1540 m/s. When indirectly evaluated over five human calves, our algorithm achieved a mean error of 7.9 m/s for the average calf SoS. Also, in human quadriceps imaging scenarios, our proposed framework showed image quality enhancements with improved visibility of the fascicle structure. Overall, our new technique improves ultrasound image resolution and allows more accurate SoS estimates to be derived for tissue health diagnostics.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 6","pages":"732-743"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10980109","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143965397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Generation of High-Order Modes in Resonators Based on Aperiodically Poled Piezoelectric Film Stacks","authors":"Natalya F. Naumenko","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3565505","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3565505","url":null,"abstract":"Aperiodically poled piezoelectric film (APPF) stacks have recently been proposed as an extension of periodically poled piezoelectric film (P3F) structures, a promising platform for the expansion of radio frequency (RF) filters into centimeter- and millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequency bands. Variations in the thicknesses between the layers of the APPF stacks enable the generation of higher order modes typically absent in P3F structures and provide additional options for the design of high-frequency filters. In this study, a simple model is proposed to optimize the thickness ratio in a three-layered structure for the generation or suppression of any mode. Its validity was confirmed by the rigorously simulated admittance functions of the resonators based on optimal structures and comparison with experimental data. The coupling coefficients of modes A1–A11 laterally excited in the 128°YX LN-based three-layered stacks were calculated as functions of the continuously varying thickness ratios. These dependencies can be used for the selection of APPF stacks with simultaneous enhancement of the primary mode and suppression of the undesired modes. In the analyzed lithium niobate (LiNbO3, LN) plates of thickness 600 nm, the electromechanical coupling coefficients of the modes A5 and A7 generated at the frequencies 14.6 and 20.4 GHz increased from 2.4% to 17% and from 1.2% to 9.9%, respectively, when the inverted middle layer of the optimal thickness was introduced, whereas the nearest modes were suppressed. The appearance of spurious symmetric modes in the previously reported experimental P3F structures was explained, and the geometry of the stacks required to avoid these spurious modes is described.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 7","pages":"987-995"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Single-Crystal Row–Column Array-Based Rat Brain 3-D Ultrasound Localization Microscopy","authors":"Qiandong Sun;Shilin Hou;Rui He;Yapeng Fu;Jiamin Wu;Jiyan Dai;Kailiang Xu","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3563809","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3563809","url":null,"abstract":"Ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) enables imaging of cerebral vasculature at a microscopic scale with deep penetration. However, conventional 2-D ULM suffers from elevation projection and cannot capture the out-of-plane vessels. Recently developed volumetric ULM overcomes the limitations by providing isotropic resolution and enabling comprehensive visualization of the microvascular architecture in three dimensions. In this study, we developed a single-crystal <inline-formula> <tex-math>$128+128$ </tex-math></inline-formula> row-column addressed (RCA) probe centered at 13 MHz, with a bandwidth of 80% and a large aperture of <inline-formula> <tex-math>$15.36times 15.36$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm2, which is suitable for volumetric imaging of small animals and superficial organs. The 3-D rendering of super-resolved vascular density and velocity maps was performed to visualize the cerebral vasculature at an improved spatial resolution of <inline-formula> <tex-math>$24.7~mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula>m. The developed methodology demonstrated the performance of single-crystal RCA-based in vivo volumetric imaging of micro-cerebrovascular, highlighting its high potential for studying neurodegenerative diseases, intracranial aneurysms, and stroke.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 6","pages":"698-708"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143968357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Publication Information","authors":"","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3559747","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3559747","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 4","pages":"C2-C2"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=10972340","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep Learning to Localize Photoacoustic Sources in Three Dimensions: Theory and Implementation","authors":"Mardava R. Gubbi;Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3562313","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3562313","url":null,"abstract":"Surgical tool tip localization and tracking are essential components of surgical and interventional procedures. The cross sections of tool tips can be considered as acoustic point sources to achieve these tasks with deep learning applied to photoacoustic channel data. However, source localization was previously limited to the lateral and axial dimensions of an ultrasound transducer. In this article, we developed a novel deep learning-based 3-D photoacoustic point source localization system using an object detection-based approach extended from our previous work. In addition, we derived theoretical relationships among point source locations, sound speeds, and waveform shapes in raw photoacoustic channel data frames. We then used this theory to develop a novel deep learning instance segmentation-based 3-D point source localization system. When tested with 4000 simulated, 993 phantom, and 1983 ex vivo channel data frames, the two systems achieved F1 scores as high as 99.82%, 93.05%, and 98.20%, respectively, and Euclidean localization errors (mean ± one standard deviation) as low as <inline-formula> <tex-math>${1.46} ; pm ; {1.11}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm, <inline-formula> <tex-math>${1.58} ; pm ; {1.30}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm, and <inline-formula> <tex-math>${1.55} ; pm ; {0.86}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm, respectively. In addition, the instance segmentation-based system simultaneously estimated sound speeds with absolute errors (mean ± one standard deviation) of <inline-formula> <tex-math>${19.22} ; pm ; {26.26}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> m/s in simulated data and standard deviations ranging 14.6–32.3 m/s in experimental data. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed photoacoustic imaging-based methods to localize and track tool tips in three dimensions during surgical and interventional procedures.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 6","pages":"786-805"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144006190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First-Order Speckle Statistics for the Detection of Microstructural Anisotropy","authors":"Alexandra M. Christensen;Timothy J. Hall;Helen Feltovich;Ivan M. Rosado-Mendez","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3562784","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3562784","url":null,"abstract":"Speckle statistics estimation is a useful quantitative ultrasound tool for characterizing tissue microstructure. However, because of their elongated geometry, fibrillar tissue components like collagen may not be described well by speckle statistics models. The purpose of this study is to perform a systematic analysis of the effects of microstructural anisotropy on speckle statistics estimation. We created phantoms made of wool fibers to correlate speckle statistics estimates to elongated scatterer geometries. Phantoms were attached to a calibrated spring to induce fiber alignment by applying a known tension. Ultrasonic beams were steered to 0°, ± 5°, and ± 10°. Nakagami and homodyned K distribution parameters were calculated from each steered acquisition. Applying tension (0–<inline-formula> <tex-math>$3~pm ~0.2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> N) induced alignment in the wool fibers such that speckle statistics estimates exhibited increased dependence on beam steering angle. Whereas an isotropically scattering phantom exhibited 4%, 55%, 25%, and 17% total changes in Nakagami m, Nakagami <inline-formula> <tex-math>$Omega $ </tex-math></inline-formula>, homodyned K <inline-formula> <tex-math>$alpha $ </tex-math></inline-formula>, and homodyned K k metrics (respectively) over all steering angles with reference to the 0° estimate, changes of 35%, 177%, 151%, and 23% were observed in wool fiber phantoms. The same experiment was repeated in the Achilles tendon of a human subject (28%, 190%, 140%, and 53%) and in the cervix of a Rhesus macaque (9%, 76%, 58%, and 11%) to demonstrate sensitivity in vivo. This study demonstrates how speckle statistics parameters can be used to measure the degree of alignment of anisotropic acoustic scatterers separately from spatial density.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 6","pages":"744-754"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combining Deep Data-Driven and Physics-Inspired Learning for Shear Wave Speed Estimation in Ultrasound Elastography","authors":"Ali K. Z. Tehrani;Scott Schoen;Ion Candel;Yuyang Gu;Peng Guo;Kai Thomenius;Theodore T. Pierce;Michael Wang;Rimon Tadross;Mike Washburn;Hassan Rivaz;Anthony E. Samir","doi":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3561599","DOIUrl":"10.1109/TUFFC.2025.3561599","url":null,"abstract":"The shear wave elastography (SWE) provides quantitative markers for tissue characterization by measuring the shear wave speed (SWS), which reflects tissue stiffness. SWE uses an acoustic radiation force pulse sequence to generate shear waves that propagate laterally through tissue with transient displacements. These waves travel perpendicular to the applied force, and their displacements are tracked using high-frame-rate ultrasound. Estimating the SWS map involves two main steps: speckle tracking and SWS estimation. Speckle tracking calculates particle velocity by measuring RF/IQ data displacement between adjacent firings, while SWS estimation methods typically compare particle velocity profiles of samples that are laterally a few millimeters apart. Deep learning (DL) methods have gained attention for SWS estimation, often relying on supervised training using simulated data. However, these methods may struggle with real-world data, which can differ significantly from the simulated training data, potentially leading to artifacts in the estimated SWS map. To address this challenge, we propose a physics-inspired learning approach that utilizes real data without known SWS values. Our method employs an adaptive unsupervised loss function, allowing the network to train with the real noisy data to minimize the artifacts and improve the robustness. We validate our approach using experimental phantom data and in vivo liver data from two human subjects, demonstrating enhanced accuracy and reliability in SWS estimation compared with conventional and supervised methods. This hybrid approach leverages the strengths of both data-driven and physics-inspired learning, offering a promising solution for more accurate and robust SWS mapping in clinical applications.","PeriodicalId":13322,"journal":{"name":"IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control","volume":"72 6","pages":"806-816"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143976014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}