Abstract: An ultrasound system (50) estimates the speed of sound in the tissue (60) under examination. The ultrasound system obtains a series of test images (150) using different estimates of the speed of sound in the body tissue. For each image produced, the ultrasound system computes a function that is indicative of image quality for one or more regions of interest (152) in the test image. The image quality function exhibits a minimum or maximum when computed for a region of interest obtained at a speed of sound substantially equal to a true speed of sound in the tissue. The ultrasound system selects the test image having the minimum or maximum function value and obtains subsequent images of the tissue using the speed of sound used to obtain the test image selected.

Abstract: This invention addresses the aliasing and range ambiguity artifact trade-off occurring in pulsed doppler ultrasound applications. By increasing pulse repetition frequency to avoid aliasing and by implementing non-coinciding transmit and receive beam-patterns, range ambiguity effects are reduced. Separate transmit and receive apertures define respective transmit and receive beam-patterns. These separate transmit and receive beam-patterns intersect at a primary range gate. Secondary range gates may occur along the receive beam-pattern. The transmit beam-pattern does not intersect such secondary gates. Weaker dispersed ultrasound energy may intersect the secondary gates, however, and reflect back to the receive aperture. Relatively stronger samples are obtained from the primary range gate than from the secondary range gates.