Utilization of a Software Beamformer to Improve Cardiac Ultrasound

Conventional ultrasound systems too often yield non-diagnostic exams. Recognizing this, GE Healthcare has developed an imaging platform called cSound. It eliminates the conventional ultrasound special-purpose beamforming hardware by using a software beamformer. Data from every probe element/channel is acquired and temporarily stored in a local big data memory before being analyzed and processed by parallel processors, similar to those found in many of today’s supercomputers. The cSound Software Beamformer has given GE the flexibility to rapidly introduce new, complex image processing algorithms, like True Confocal Imaging (TCI), which helps fully remove the variable focus control, and Adaptive Contrast Enhancement (ACE), which amplifies real signals and reduces undesired noise and artifacts. TCI and ACE together result in exceptional contrast- and spatial resolution, from near field to far field, which may help reduce the number of non-diagnostic exams. 

For more information: www3.gehealthcare.com/en/products/categories/ultrasound