Spatial Compounding of ARFI images in an automated breast imaging system

Automated ultrasound breast imaging could overcome most of the limitations of conventional echography, ensuring repeatability and better patient follow-up. Several research groups have included multi-modality in these kind of systems, obtaining velocity and attenuation maps. This work addresses the implementation of the Acoustic Radiation Force Imaging (ARFI) technique in a Full Angle Spatial Compounding (FASC) automated breast imaging system to obtain tissue elasticity images. Results demonstrated that ARFI imaging can be applied efficiently without direct contact between transducer and tissue (water coupling), and that full angle composition improves image quality. Furthermore, detection capability of small structures improves with regard to images obtained from a single array location, in which image texture can mask their presence.