Fast Image Reconstruction in the Frequency Domain for Row-Column-Arrays

Row-column arrays (RCAs) enable the acquisition of high-resolution, three-dimensional ultrasound volumes with considerably fewer electronic connections compared to full matrix transducers. While time-domain methods like delay-and-sum (DAS) beamforming are commonly used for image reconstruction, here we propose a fast reconstruction technique in the spatial frequency domain. This is specifically developed for the RCA geometry and utilizes the Fourier diffraction theorem to reconstruct 3D volumes from backscattered data of plane wave emissions at multiple steering angles. Initial experimental results demonstrate that this approach improves resolution by up to 50% , suppresses artifacts, and reduces computation time to approximately 2% compared to DAS.