In the last decade, plane-wave-based volumetric ultrasonic imaging has become a promising research tool in preclinical neuroscience. Its high-speed imaging capability at a high operating frequency allows the observation of microvascular structures and the acquisition of functional ultrasound (fUS) images. However, achieving highquality 3D super-resolution images requires fully functional full apertures supported by many independent channels, as well as high data transmission rates and processing capacity. Based on current technology, which emulates full array performance through multiplexing, this technique is far from reaching full maturity. This study investigates the potential of sparse arrays to achieve a trade-off in designing 3D imaging systems for fUS. Starting with a 32x32-element aperture, sparse array configurations with up to 256 elements for transmission and reception are explored. The study examines the requirements and opportunities of this approach during prebeamforming and beamforming stages, focusing on system architecture.