Effective Apodization in Synthetic Aperture Ultrasound Computed Tomography

This paper presents a novel apodization technique designed to enhance image quality in synthetic aperture reflection ultrasound computed tomography (SA-RUCT) systems. Conventional SA-RUCT methods often suffer from artifacts and reduced image quality, particularly when using a large number of receiving elements (Rxs). These issues arise due to diffraction and distortion effects, which degrade the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and overall image clarity. The proposed method addresses these challenges by optimizing the apodization process, leading to significant reductions in artifacts and improvements in both resolution and contrast. Numerical simulations indicated that the proposed method makes a significant improvement in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) compared to conventional methods. Experimental and in-vivo studies further validated these findings, showing enhanced visualization of fine structures and effective suppression of unwanted artifacts. The proposed method achieved spatial resolution improvements of up to nearly 60%, in the reconstructed images. The results indicate that the proposed apodization technique is a robust and practical solution for improving image quality in SA-RUCT systems, offering significant advantages in clinical and research applications where high-resolution and artifact-free imaging is critical.