Abstract

Developing and testing novel ultrasound (US)investigation methods can be made difficult by commercialUS echographs. Typically, most devices can export only theechographic images, providing either beamformed RF ordemodulated echo-signal for acquisition by an external PC.Powerful but portable high-level commercial integratedcircuits would be required in order to obtain access to theraw RF signal. First examples of such systems forultrasound research are available (i.e. FEMMINA, ULAOP), although they are still far from size minimization. Inthis work we present a compact platform, consisting of adedicated electronic board to be coupled with the USbeamformer through an integrated analog front-end. Ourplatform was designed in order to simultaneously managethe RF flow data and to satisfy the following requirements:1) ensuring that the full dynamic range of analog to digitalconverter (ADC) is completely exploited in order tomaintain the ADC resolution capabilities through anappropriate amplifier, 2) denoising the RF signal input by aspecific designed filter, 3) limited size, 4) low cost and 5)plug-and-play connection to the PC via a further USB port.Also, a suitable custom-developed graphical user interfacewas developed, enabling signal visualization andmanagement of signal processing algorithms through anexternal PC. The output of an equivalent system, composedby commercially available stand-alone amplifier and ADCcomponents, was assumed as the standard for comparingand grading the performances of our board. Analyzing theoutput of both systems in the frequency domain, weobtained matching spectra with a difference up to 0.21 dB.The so realized close synergy between hardware andsoftware allows the acquisition and real-time processing ofthe echographic RF signals with fast data representation,allowing for the complete analysis of particular phenomenaupon the study of the interaction between US signals and theinvestigated target for specific clinical diagnosis (i.e.osteoporosis in the bone tissue, tissue typing applications).

Autore Pugliese

• Conversano Francesco , Casciaro Sergio

Tutti gli autori

• L. Passaquindici; F. Cursano; A. Greco; G. Soloperto; F. Conversano; A. Lay-Ekuakille; S. Casciaro

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

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ISBN

978-92-990073-5-8

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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