Application of a Sidelobe-Suppressed Focused Bessel-Gaussian Modulated Beam in Acoustic Radiation Force Excitation

Beam profile modulation has a significant impact on the strength of the acoustic radiation force (ARF). An ARF beam with strong intensity and an extended depth of field (DoF) along the main-lobe can facilitate the generation of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) or shear wave elasticity (SWE) maps with improved quality. A focused push beam with a small f-number provides high intensity in the focal zone but limits the DoF. In contrast, a Bessel-Apodized beam extends the DoF but at the expense of reduced intensity and is further accompanied by strong sidelobes. This study aims to develop an ARF beam with high intensity, extended DoF, and suppressed sidelobes, to enable higher-quality ARFI or SWE maps.