Feasibility Study of Non-linear Apodization for IVUS B-mode Imaging

Abstract

This paper evaluates the performance of the non-linear apodization technique at the ultrasound B-mode (Brightness mode) image and indirectly demonstrates feasibility at the IVUS (Intravascular ultrasound) imaging application by changing coordinate condition. We conducted simulation with dedicated sound field programs (Field II and MATLAB), and the rectangular window and the Kaiser windows with two different control parameters were used for tri-apodization as an example of the non-linear apodization. The measurements of -6 dB main-lobe width and side-lobe level at the region of interest (ROI) were performed, and the point target simulation results show that tri-apodization had almost similar -6 dB main-lobe width and 6 dB lower side-lobe level in comparison of the result of the rectangular window. Therefore, this technique can be applied to IVUS B-mode image to improve image quality.