IMPINGEMENT ANGLE AND SCAN DIRECTION INFLUENCE ON B-SCAN IMAGING IN TISSUE CLASSIFICATION

The potential critical influence of impingement angle and scan directi on on B-scan imaging for tissue classification is explored in this wor k. The effects of variations of other system parameters on B-scan imag es are also investigated. Particular attention is paid to the influenc e of the direction of propagation of the interrogating wave within the tissue structure. This is done in order to explore the hypothesis tha t the detection of malignant areas embedded inside a host ordered tiss ue can be improved by exploiting the disordered structure of the disea sed region. Results of preliminary experiments performed on a phantom give an indication that speckle pattern variations due to impingement angle and/or scan direction can occur that relates to the structural p roperties of the tissue from a scattering point of view. Sample proble ms are presented to differentiate the structural variations within a t issue by analyzing a phantom constructed of unidirectional fibers arra nged in layers that are staggered with respect to each other.