COMPUTER IMPLEMENTATION IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF 2-D FLOW VELOCITY-FIELDS IN ULTRASOUND DOPPLER COLOR IMAGING

Doppler color imaging can easily render flow information within the ve ssels and simultaneously provide anatomic information for diagnostic p urposes. However, the angle dependence problem of the Doppler velocity measurement is a significant barrier for continuing progress toward q uantitative clinical applications of this technology. This paper prese nts a method and the computer implementation for reconstruction of the 2-D flow velocity field (angle independent) in ultrasound Doppler col or imaging. Formulae for deriving angle independent velocity amplitude and angle direction from the color images acquired with a linear arra y transducer are given. The hardware configuration of the data acquiri ng and processing system is described. Major considerations in the dev elopment of algorithms, especially the strategies for reducing the com putation time are presented.