Ultrasound differential phase contrast using backscattering and the memory effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a rapid ultrasound differential phase contrast imaging technique that leverages the memory effect in scattering media, enabling phase contrast in reflection mode without extra hardware or complex computation.

Contribution

It presents a novel ultrasound DPC method based on the optical DIC analogy, utilizing the memory effect for simple, fast phase contrast imaging in thick scattering media.

Findings

Successfully demonstrated DPC with tissue phantoms

Achieved phase contrast without additional hardware

Compatible with standard pulse-echo imaging

Abstract

We describe a simple and fast technique to perform ultrasound differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging in arbitrarily thick scattering media. Though configured in a reflection geometry, DPC is based on transmission imaging and is a direct analogue of optical differential interference contrast (DIC). DPC exploits the memory effect and works in combination with standard pulse-echo imaging, with no additional hardware or data requirements, enabling complementary phase contrast (in the transverse direction) without any need for intensive numerical computation. We experimentally demonstrate the principle of DPC using tissue phantoms with calibrated speed-of-sound inclusions.