Requirements and Hardware Limitations of High-Frame-Rate 3-D Ultrasound Imaging Systems

The spread of high frame rate and 3-D imaging techniques has raised pressing requirements for ultrasound systems. In particular, the processing power data transfer may be so demanding to hinder real-time (RT) implementation such techniques. This paper first analyzes general involved in RT Then, it identifies main bottlenecks receiving section a specific scanner, ULA-OP 256, which is one most powerful available open scanners therefore assumed as reference. case study evidenced that “star” topology, used digitally interconnect system’s boards, easily saturate bandwidth, thus impacting achievable frame/volume rates RT. architecture digital scanner was exploited tackle by enabling new “ring“ communication topology. Experimental 2-D high-frame-rate tests were conducted evaluate with both interconnection modalities. It shown ring topology enables up 4400 frames/s 510 volumes/s, mean increments +230% (up +620%) compared star