Very high frame rate ultrasound for medical diagnostic imaging

Abstract

Ultrasonography is widely used in clinical situations. This modality is suitable for various screening purposes because it can be performed repeatedly owing to non-invasiveness, no radiation exposure, and cost effectiveness. Furthermore, the temporal resolution of medical ultrasound imaging is much better than those of other imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray computed tomography (CT). Therefore, ultrasound imaging is also suitable for functional imaging, such as blood flow imaging and evaluation of the cardiac function. Recently, high frame rate ultrasound, which further enhances the temporal resolution in medical ultrasound imaging, has become available in practical use. It enables more accurate analysis of tissue dynamics owing to the extremely high temporal resolution of over one thousand frames per second (fps). In this review article, the basic principle and applications of high frame rate ultrasound are presented.