Effectiveness of Image Reconstruction using an Electrical and Ultrasonic Imaging System

Abstract

In this paper, the reconstruction of images using a proposed imaging system that can generate both ultrasound and electrical impedance-based images is presented, and a technique for the fusion of these images is proposed. In the proposed system, piezoelectric transducers (PZTs), which are generally used for ultrasound imaging, are also used for electrical impedance imaging. Ultrasonic time-of-flight measurements were performed using several combinations of PZTs, and electrical impedance measurements were also performed using the front surface electrodes of those PZTs. From the data acquired, the ultrasonic and electrical properties of the same space were reconstructed using the proposed imaging system. In the experiments, images using both the electrical and ultrasonic properties were reconstructed using the proposed system, and the usefulness of the system was illustrated by the fusion of these images, although the spatial and electrical conductivity resolutions of the system and the data numbers for the time-of-flight measurements were insufficient.