A Real-Time Lag-One Coherence Tool for Adaptive Imaging

Ultrasound imaging is the product of numerous pulse sequence and processing design choices, but it is impossible to optimize for every clinical imaging case with a single set of parameters. Many sonographers do not take advantage of even the limited set of controls provided to them during an exam. We have demonstrated that lag-one coherence (LOC), an aperture-domain signal quality metric, reflects image quality in the presence of in vivo clutter effects. This feedback could be useful in adaptively selecting patient- and view-specific optimal parameters. Increased system bandwidth and computing power now make it possible to estimate LOC in real-time. We demonstrate a Verasonics-based platform for real-time temporal correlation and spatial coherence estimation during B-mode imaging at 18 frames per second. Demonstrations of abdominal and cardiac imaging under varying common scanning conditions are presented using the tool.