ESTIMATION OF BLOOD VELOCITY WITH HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND

In order to map blood velocity in small regions near the transducer, w e evaluate the performance of the wideband maximum likelihood (WMLE) s trategy and infinite impulse response (IIR) filters for blood velocity estimation with a transducer center frequency of 38 MHz. Using a shor t transmitted pulse and the narrow lateral beam width obtained using t his frequency, we show that velocities smaller than 1 mm/s can be esti mated reliably. In addition, using both changes in the location and ma gnitude of the peak of the RF correlation, vessels as small as 40 mu m can be visualized in the RF signal and distinguished from stationary tissue. The experimental system also provides the opportunity to exami ne changes in flow and in the vessel wall over a cardiac cycle.