Annular Array Technology: Application to Cardiac Imaging

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Abstract
Summary: Annular array imaging combines desirable features of both phased‐array and mechanical transducer technology. Its major advantage is dual‐plane electronic focusing, which contributes to deeper penetration, improved lateral resolution, and a thinner tomographic slice. All of these features help to improve image quality in the majority of patients. Areas of improvement observed with annular array imaging in the clinical setting include increased depth of field, better endocardia1 definiton, greater detail of valvular structures, more accurate recording of intracardiac masses, and generally improved signal‐to‐noise ratio. These aspects of improved image quality make annular array technology an important advance in ultrasonic cardiac imaging.