Correlation of ultrasonic scatterer size estimates for the statistical analysis and optimization of angular compounding.

Ultrasonic scatterer size estimates generally have large variances due to the inherent noise of spectral estimates used to calculate size. Compounding partially correlated size estimates associated with the same tissue, but produced with data acquired from different angles of incidence, is an effective way to reduce the variance without making dramatic sacrifices in spatial resolution. This work derives theoretical approximations for the correlation between these size estimates, and the coherence between their associated spectral estimates, as functions of ultrasonic system parameters. A Gaussian spatial autocorrelation function is assumed to adequately model scatterer shape. Both approximations compare favorably with simulation results, which consider validation near the focus. Utilization of the correlation/coherence expressions for statistical analysis and optimization is discussed. Approximations, such as the invariance of phase and amplitude terms with angle, are made to obtain closed-form solutions to the derived spectral coherence near the focus and permit analytical optimization analysis. Results indicate that recommended parameter adjustments for performance improvement generally depend upon whether, for the system under consideration, the primary source of change in total coherence with rotation is phase term variation due to the change in the relative position of scattering sites, or field amplitude term variation due to beam movement.