[B-flow--a new method for detecting blood flow]

Abstract

A new ultrasound-based blood flow detection method, B-Flow is introduced. The amplitude of scatterers in flowing blood is imaged by a subtraction mode of two to four vectors along one line. Noise reduction is gained by using digital encoded US pulses. Signal enhancement is performed by using a pulse compression method (coded excitation). Compared to Color Doppler (CDI) Imaging B-Flow has a higher time (frame rate) and better spatial resolution. Typical CDI artifacts like color blooming or aliasing are missed. B-Flow does not allow velocity measurements. B-Flow has its clinical value in imaging perfused arterial vessels, simultaneous imaging of high and low velocities and delineating plaque morphology with high resolution.