# Coherence-Based Fetal Ultrasonic Imaging

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $348,226

## Abstract

Abstract
Ultrasonic imaging is widely used to monitor fetal growth and development during the first and second
trimester, and multiple studies document the resultant positive impacts on fetal and maternal outcomes.
However, current methods fail to provide adequate visualization of key structures in many patients, and
alternative imaging modes are rarely available to these patients. We have developed novel ultrasonic
beamforming methods that, instead of imaging echo brightness, display the spatial coherence of backscattered
echoes. These methods, in simulation, phantom, and clinical studies, show markedly improved image quality
over conventional ultrasonic images, especially in difficult-to-image patients.
We propose to construct a real-time coherence imaging system on an advanced, commercially available
diagnostic scanner. We will extend our theory of coherence imaging to 1.5D and 2D arrays and incorporate
these arrays into our real-time imaging system.
Clinical studies are proposed to assess the role of coherence imaging in key fetal diagnostic tasks in first
trimester and second trimester scans. Quantitative image quality metrics and observer studies are proposed to
compare B-mode and coherence images with an emphasis on difficult-to-image patients for whom current
imaging methods fail. Related studies will measure the contribution of various sources of image degradation in
fetal scans and compare image artifacts observed in conventional and coherence-based ultrasonic images. If
successful, the proposed research could lead to a new class of ultrasonic beamforming methods that operate
in imaging environments in which current methods fail.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10142464
- **Project number:** 5R01EB017711-08
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gregg E. Trahey
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $348,226
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-07-01 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10142464

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10142464, Coherence-Based Fetal Ultrasonic Imaging (5R01EB017711-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10142464. Licensed CC0.

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