Delay-encoded cascaded waves pulse delays

Overview of optimal delay-encoding for delay-encoded cascaded waves, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in ultrafast ultrasound imaging. The pulse delays are selected through a numerical optimization of an analytical expression describing the SNR gain, which depends only on the time delays and the probe bandwidth. Delays are determined within a bandwidth corresponding to a P4-1 (Philips), C1-6-D (GE HealthCare), L12-3v (Verasonics), or L22-8v (Verasonics) ultrasound probe. The theoretical gain in SNR for varying sacrificial depths (2.5 mm to 20 mm) and number of pulses per train (3 to 8). The time delays are the corresponding time delays between the first pulse of the train and pulse i (starting from i=2).