A complex frequency approach towards pulse-echo attenuation estimation

This paper introduces a novel technique for substantially correcting the influence of interference effects on attenuation estimates from backscattered rf A-line data. The technique is grounded in the approach of regarding pulse-echo attenuation as a pulse estimation problem. The procedures operate via the manipulation of features (zeros) intimately associated with those interference effects which affect mean frequency, and attempt to reduce the influence of the 'structure' component of a signal segment. The algorithm operates in complex frequency space. Preliminary results from computer simulations are presented and a comparison is drawn with the mean frequency shift technique.<>