A generalized programmable system and efficient algorithms for ultrasound backend processing

Ultrasound is one of the leading medical imaging modalities because it allows clinicians to have a better, easier, and less expensive way to diagnose a wide variety of medical conditions in real time. Modern ultrasound machines, however generate and process data at a tremendous rate and consequently, the required computational power is implemented with fixed hardware.; Because of their limited programmability, many of the hardware components within an ultrasound machine cannot be reused if the processing requirements or algorithms are modified significantly. We have studied the applicability of several modern general-purpose programmable processors and digital signal processors (DSPs) in performing both the traditional and new imaging tasks which used to be implemented on fixed hardware. Some of these new processors employ instruction-level parallelism, which includes the superscalar or very long instruction word (VLIW) computer architectures.; To investigate the feasibility of this totally different approach, we have designed and implemented a programmable ultrasound image processor (PUIP). This subsystem has been shown to have enough computational power and generality to implement many current and future ultrasound applications efficiently. We then investigated efficient parallel algorithms for ultrasound processing functions. These included the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in the gated spectral Doppler estimation function, scan conversion, color flow processing, and color Doppler image generation algorithms. We also developed methodologies to allow engineers to quickly learn the fundamentals efficient programming of processors with instruction-level parallelism that are embedded in imaging systems like ultrasound machines.; The development of a programmable ultrasound backend system utilizing a network of modern programmable processors potentially allows for a lower system cost and lower research/development expenses. Programmable systems could significantly improve the productivity in new algorithm development and facilitate rapid development of new ultrasound applications, features, and technology.