Systems and methods for speckle reduction

1. An ultrasound imaging system comprising:

an ultrasound device including:

a handle assembly;

an elongate shaft member extending from the handle assembly;

an end effector coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft member, the end effector having a first jaw member and a second jaw member opposite the first jaw member, the first jaw member and the second jaw member move relative to one another to grasp tissue therebetween;

a first ultrasound transducer disposed on the first jaw member; and

a second ultrasound transducer disposed on the second jaw member; and

a controller configured to receive a first signal from the first ultrasound transducer and a second signal from the second ultrasound transducer, the controller generates an image based on the first signal and the second signal.

2. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasound transducer includes a linear array of ultrasound transducers.

3. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the second ultrasound transducer includes a linear array of ultrasound transducers.

4. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasound transducer emits a first acoustic energy and receives a first reflected energy based on the first acoustic energy, the first ultrasound transducer converts the first reflected energy into the first signal.

5. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 4 , wherein the second ultrasound transducer emits a second acoustic energy and receives a second reflected energy based on the second acoustic energy, the second ultrasound transducer converts the second reflected energy into the second signal.

6. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the controller converts the first signal into a first A-line and the second signal into a second A-line.

7. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the first A-line and the second A-line are averaged to produce a third A-line.

8. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 7 , wherein the controller generates the image from the third A-line.

9. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first ultrasound transducer emits a first acoustic energy and the second ultrasound transducer emits a second acoustic energy.

10. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the first ultrasound transducer:

receives a first reflected energy based on the second acoustic energy; and

converts the first reflected energy into the first signal; and

wherein the second ultrasound transducer:

receives a second reflected energy based on the first acoustic energy; and

converts the second reflected energy into the second signal.

11. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the controller converts the first signal into a first A-line and the second signal into a second A-line.

12. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the first A-line and the second A-line are averaged to produce a third A-line.

13. The ultrasound imaging system of claim 12 , wherein the controller generates the image from the third A-line.

14. A method for reducing speckle in an ultrasound image provided by an ultrasound imaging system, the ultrasound imaging system having a controller and an ultrasound device that includes an end effector having a first ultrasound transducer disposed on a first jaw member opposite a second ultrasound transducer disposed on a second jaw member, the method comprising:

grasping tissue between the first and second jaw members;

emitting a first acoustic energy from the first ultrasound transducer;

emitting a second acoustic energy from the second ultrasound transducer;

receiving a first reflected energy based on the first acoustic energy at the first ultrasound transducer;

receiving a second reflected energy based on the second acoustic energy at the second ultrasound transducer; and

generating an image based on the first reflected energy and the second reflected energy.

15. The method according to claim 14 , including:

converting the first reflected energy into a first signal that is provided to the controller; and

converting the second reflected energy into a second signal that is provided to the controller.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein generating the image includes:

converting the first signal into a first A-line;

converting the second signal into a second A-line;

averaging the first A-line and the second A-line to generate a third A-line;

generating the image based on the third A-line.

17. A method for reducing speckle in an ultrasound image provided by an ultrasound imaging system, the ultrasound imaging system having a controller and an ultrasound device that includes an end effector having a first ultrasound transducer disposed on a first jaw member opposite a second ultrasound transducer disposed on a second jaw member, the method comprising:

grasping tissue between the first and second jaw members;

emitting a first acoustic energy from the first ultrasound transducer;

emitting a second acoustic energy from the second ultrasound transducer;

receiving a first reflected energy based on the second acoustic energy at the first ultrasound transducer;

receiving a second reflected energy based on the first acoustic energy at the second ultrasound transducer; and

generating an image based on the first reflected energy and the second reflected energy.

18. The method according to claim 17 , including:

converting the first reflected energy into a first signal that is provided to the controller; and

converting the second reflected energy into a second signal that is provided to the controller.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein generating the image includes:

converting the first signal into a first A-line;

converting the second signal into a second A-line;

averaging the first A-line and the second A-line to generate a third A-line;

generating the image based on the third A-line.