Simulating plane wave imaging with the fast nearfield method

Conventional B-mode imaging suffers from limited frame rates due to compounded travel times. In contrast, plane wave imaging has emerged as a high-speed solution, offering superior frame rates while preserving resolution and contrast. Simulation plays a pivotal role in testing and refining new imaging algorithms, which is crucial for further development of plane wave imaging. However, limited support exists in current ultrasound simulation packages for plane wave imaging simulations. To address this deficiency, plane wave imaging support is incorporated into FOCUS, the “Fast Object-oriented C++ Simulator” (https://www.egr.msu.edu/∼fultras-web/). This is achieved by adopting a pulse-echo imaging model that combines received signals from individual scatterers while assuming linear propagation of acoustic pressure fields within an isotropic, homogeneous, and non-dissipative medium. The fast nearfield method is deployed for the acoustic pressure field calculations, providing superior performance in terms of speed, accuracy, and memory-efficiency compared to other methods. The pulse-echo imaging model is extended to standard plane wave imaging techniques, such as electronic steering of plane waves and beamforming of the received RF data. Simulation results with a scatterer population that mimics a soft-tissue phantom featuring 5-point targets, 5 hyperechoic regions, and 5 anechoic regions of varying sizes will be demonstrated.