System and method for shear wave generation with steered ultrasound push beams

1. An ultrasound system for measuring material properties of an object comprising:

an ultrasound transducer that includes a plurality of transducer elements; and

a processor configured to:

divide an aperture associated with the plurality of transducer elements into a plurality of segments;

assign an apodization to each of the plurality of segments, the apodization including assigning a steering angle for each of the plurality of segments;

based on the apodization, operate the plurality of transducer elements to generate multiple ultrasound push beams that interfere to create multiple foci and multiple shear waves within the object;

obtain shear wave elastography data from the object; and

calculate a mechanical property of the object using the obtained elastography data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein, to assign the apodization, the processor is further configured to assign at least one of a weight to an amplitude of signals applied to elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments, a steering angle for elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments, and a focusing delay for elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the steering angle includes one of a positive and a negative angle indication.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to assign the steering angle using a randomized configuration.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to divide the aperture associated with the plurality of transducer elements into a plurality of subapertures for each of the plurality of transducer elements and assign the apodization to each of the subapertures.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the processor is configured to move or steer each of the subapertures along the aperture to operate the plurality of transducer elements to generate multiple ultrasound push beams.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to divide each of the plurality of transducer elements into a number of subgroups with overlapping elements and control activation of the subgroups to move the multiple ultrasound push beams in a lateral direction across the plurality of transducer elements.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of transducer elements form one of a linear array or curved array ultrasound transducer or two-dimensional array ultrasound transducer.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to select the multiple foci using time delays associated with each of the multiple ultrasound push beams.

10. A method for measuring a mechanical property of an object using an ultrasound system having an ultrasound transducer that includes a plurality of transducer elements, the method comprising:

a) dividing an aperture associated with the plurality of transducer elements into a plurality of segments;

b) assigning an apodization relative to the plurality of transducer elements, the assigning of the apodization including assigning a steering angle for elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments;

c) based on the apodization assigned in b), operating the plurality of transducer elements to generate multiple ultrasound push beams that interfere to create multiple foci and multiple shear waves within the object;

d) obtaining shear wave elastography data from the object; and

e) calculating a mechanical property of the object using the obtained elastography data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the apodization assigns at least one of a weight to an amplitude of signals applied to elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments, and a focusing delay for elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the steering angle includes one of a positive and a negative angle indication.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising assigning the steering angle using a randomized configuration.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein b) further comprises dividing an aperture associated with the plurality of transducer elements into a plurality of subapertures for each of the plurality of transducer elements and assigning the apodization to each of the subapertures.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein c) includes moving or steering each of the subapertures along the aperture.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising dividing each of the plurality of transducer elements into a number of subgroups with overlapping elements and changing the subgroups to move the multiple ultrasound push beams in a lateral direction across the plurality of transducer elements.

17. An ultrasound system for measuring material properties of an object comprising:

an ultrasound transducer that includes a plurality of transducer elements; and

a processor configured to:

divide an aperture associated with the plurality of transducer elements into a plurality of segments;

assigning a steering angle for elements of the plurality of transducer elements in each of the segments;

operate the plurality of transducer elements to generate multiple ultrasound push beams by energizing selected ones of the plurality of transducer elements based on the plurality of segments such that the ultrasound push beams interfere to create multiple foci and multiple shear waves within the object;

obtain shear wave elastography data indicating mechanical properties of the object; and

generate a report indicating the mechanical properties of the object.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the mechanical properties include at least one of shear wave speed, shear wave attenuation, shear modulus, shear viscosity, storage modulus, loss modulus, Young's modulus, bulk modulus, or mechanical relaxation time.

19. The system of claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to assign the steering angle using a deterministic configuration.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising assigning the steering angle using a deterministic configuration.