An ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound transducer that receives an echo signal generated in response to an ultrasound signal transmitted by the system interacting with a moving material. Receive circuitry processes the echo signal and produces an electrical signal indicative thereof. Front end electronics amplify and digitize the electrical signal producing M-bit RF data. A beamformer that processes the M-bit RF data and generates N-bit high dynamic range beamformed data. N is greater than M. The system further includes pre-processing circuitry that converts the N-bit data RF to 2×K-bit I/Q data. K is less than M. A velocity processor determines a phase estimate of the moving material from the I/Q data. A rendering engine visually presents the phase estimate.
