Abstract: A transesophageal echocardiographic scanner includes a rotatable transducer for rotating the image plane of the scanner. The transducer is a circular shaped array of parallel oriented elements which may be operated as a phased or linear array. The transducer is mounted on a bell-shaped backing box with a conical interior surface that directs reverberations from the back of the transducer into damping material which fills the box. The transducer is located in a fluid compartment which is divided by a cover member into an ultrasonic transmission region between the emitting surface of the transducer and the cover, and an adjacent bubble trap region into which bubbles may pass and preferentially remain.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transesophageal scanhead is provided which enables a physician to easily and quickly change the orientation of the image plane during a scanning procedure. Means are provided on either the scanhead or the ultrasound system for selecting the imaging plane. As the imaging plane selector is actuated, an indication of the orientation of the selected plane appears concurrently on the monitor of the system along with a display of ultrasonic information of the selected plane. In a preferred embodiment the indication of the selected plane is displayed both graphically and numerically. A recording of the displayed information will thus capture both the ultrasonic information as well as the image plane orientation. A physician reviewing the recording will thereby know the exact orientation of the image being viewed, leading to a better informed and more precise diagnosis of medical conditions of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transesophageal scanhead is provided which enables a physician to easily and quickly change the orientation of the image plane during a scanning procedure without disrupting control of the scanhead. Means are provided on the external control unit of the scanhead for unambiguously selecting the orientation of the plane which is imaged by the transducers at the end of the probe of the scanhead. In one embodiment of the present invention, a rocker switch is provided on the underside of the control unit, and a lighted indicator is provided on top of the control unit. When the physician desires to change the image plane, the rocker switch is rolled forward to select the transducer elements of the probe which are configured for scanning in the desired image plane. As the rocker switch is moved, the lighted indicator on the top of the control unit provides a visual display pattern aligned either longitudinally or transversely with respect to the axis of the probe.

Abstract: A device for unloading exposed film from a cassette, discarding a backing strip which is wound with the film, discharging the cassette body and conveying the film to a light-free storage box. The cassette is initially loaded into the device through a shutter-closable aperture and received by a downwardly inclined cradle. Upon initiation of the loading cycle, the loading aperture shutter closes and a pneumatic ram lifts the cradle to place the cassette against the inlet of a film guide. A motor raises a violator probe after the cassette is in place to guide the backing paper between a pair of powered rollers which draw the backing strip from the cartridge thereby carrying the film into the film guide. The backing strip is discharged through a series of ducts to be discharged outside the machine.