| Realistic, real-time ultrasound simulation is important for medical education and research. This thesis continues to develop the Fast and Mechanistic Ultrasound Simulator through understanding computational artifacts, constructing metrics for reliable simulation, and improving acoustic modelling. Computational artifacts in simulated Doppler spectra were found to originate from various types of discretization, such as in sampling frequency and subsequent phase mismatches, providing insight into mitigation strategies. A study of simulation and input data parameters has determined a practical estimate of greater than 6 point scatterers/mm3 within the acoustic sample volume as sufficient to support consistent and realistic Doppler simulation. Finally, frequency dependent attenuation was incorporated to model dispersive effects in tissue. The resulting simulated B-mode images are comparable to those of the Field II ultrasound simulation package, with only a modest performance penalty over the existing simulator. |
