A multifunctional, reconfigurable pulse generator for high-frequency ultrasound imaging

Weibao Qiu, Yanyan Yu, Fu Keung Tsang, Lei Sun

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

98 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

High-frequency (>20 MHz) ultrasound (HFUS) imaging systems have made it possible to image small structures with fine spatial resolution. They find a variety of biomedical applications in dermatology, ophthalmology, intravascular imaging, and small-animal imaging. One critical technical challenge of HFUS is to generate high-voltage, high-frequency pulsed signals to effectively excite the transducer for a high SNR. This paper presents the development of a multifunctional, reconfigurable pulse generator for HFUS imaging. The pulse generator can produce a high-voltage unipolar pulse, a bipolar pulse, or arbitrary pulses for B-mode imaging, Doppler measurement, and modulated excitation imaging. The characteristics of the pulses, such as timing, waveform, and frequency are reconfigurable by a high-speed field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Customized software was developed to interface with the FPGA through a USB connector for pulse selection, and easy, flexible, real-time pulse management. The hardware was implemented in a compact, printed circuit board (PCB)-based scheme using state-of-the-art electronics for costeffectiveness and fully digital control. Testing results show that the unipolar pulse can reach over 165 Vpp with a 6-dB bandwidth of 70 MHz, and the bipolar pulse and arbitrary pulses can reach 150 and 60 Vpp with central frequencies of 60 and 120 MHz, respectively.
Original languageEnglish
Article number6242811
Pages (from-to)1558-1567
Number of pages10
JournalIEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control
Volume59
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Aug 2012

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Acoustics and Ultrasonics
  • Instrumentation

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