Optimization of the algorithms for estimating the ultrasonic attenuation along the propagation path

In this study, we perform statistical analysis on two methods used to estimate the total ultrasound attenuation along the propagation path from the surface of the transducer to a region of interest at a particular depth; namely, the spectral-fit method and the multiple-filter method. We derive mathematical equations for the bias and variance in the attenuation estimates as a function of region of interest (ROI) size, imaging system bandwidth, and number of independent Gaussian filters (for the multiple filter method). We use numerical simulations to validate the mathematical equations and compare the two algorithms. The results show that the variance in the total attenuation coefficient estimates obtained with the two methods are comparable, and that the estimates are unbiased. For the multiple filter method, the optimal number of Gaussian filters is two.

► We perform statistical analysis on the spectral-fit method and the multiple-filter method for estimating the total attenuation along the propagation path.
► We find that both estimators are unbiased.
► The variance in the total attenuation coefficient estimates depends on the number of frequency components in the usable frequency range, the number of independent echoes per ROI, and the number of independent Gaussian filters used in the multiple filter method.