One of the most powerful concepts used in medicine is that of constructive and destructive interference. People are often amazed at how many different aspects of ultrasound and medicine are based on these principles.
For example, understanding partial and complete constructive/destructive interference gives you important insight into understanding other important principles such as:
– Electronic steering and focusing
– How ‘narrow’ beams are created
– Grating lobes and ‘speckle’ patterns
– Harmonic Imaging and Pulse/Phase
Inversion
– Signal averaging techniques
This subject matter is discussed more thoroughly in Frank Miele’s Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation . Initially introduced in Chapter 2: Waves on pages 21-22. More specifically outlined in Chapter 8: Artifacts during discussions on grating lobes and “speckle” pattern (pages 282, 286-287). Its application to Harmonic Imaging is outlined in pages 328-333 of Chapter 10: Contrast and Harmonics.
