Abstract: To provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus capable of appropriately assigning a transmission delay time of a group to a transducer without complicated wires. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the embodiment comprises a plurality of transducers, a timing pulse generator, a switch part, and a switch controller. Ultrasound waves are transmitted to the transducers. The timing pulse generator has output terminals for outputting timing pulses based on a delay time to a channel corresponding to each of the transducers, in which a plurality of output terminals are divided into groups and each group has the output terminals of a specific number greater than two. The timing pulse generator then generates the transmission delay time within a predetermined time range for the each group. The switch part selectively connects the channels with the output terminals.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus that can maintain surface temperature of an ultrasound probe within a safe range, without reduction in performance. The ultrasound probe includes a casing, a transducer, an electronic circuit, and a heat-transfer construction. Elements of the transducer are aligned at one end of the casing and send out ultrasound waves in accordance with their respective delay times. The electronic circuit, disposed in the casing, includes a delay circuit setting delay times and pulsers for generating pulses in accordance with the delay times, the pulses being sent to the transducer. While the electronic circuit is being energized, the heat-transfer construction disposes a member having a low heat conductivity at least either between the electronic circuit and the casing or between the electronic circuit and the transducer. Thereby, heat from the electronic circuit is conducted to the other end of the casing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured to execute an imaging mode of alternately executing a continuous wave Doppler mode of acquiring time-series Doppler data by performing continuous wave transmission/reception with respect to an object and a B mode of acquiring tomogram data represented by luminance by transmitting and receiving a pulse wave to and from the object, the apparatus includes a data acquisition unit configured to acquire continuous wave Doppler data and the tomogram data by alternately executing the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode while switching the modes, and a display unit configured to simultaneously display Doppler spectrum information generated based on the continuous wave Doppler data and a tomogram generated based on the tomogram data.

Abstract: A bias gate part supplies a bias current to a transmission pulse generator. The transmission pulse generator receives the supply of the bias current, amplifies an input voltage, and supplies an output voltage obtained by the amplification to array transducer elements. In accordance with the timing of transmitting ultrasound waves from the array transducer elements and the level of the output voltage supplied to the array transducer elements, the bias gate part supplies the bias current to the transmission pulse generator while changing the timing of supplying the bias current.

Abstract: To be able to control an aperture in ultrasound transducer units comprised such that the signals from a plurality of ultrasound transducers are added and output. An ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a plurality of delay circuits, and an adder circuit, and configured to be able to control a reception aperture of ultrasound waves. The delay circuit performs a delay processing to reception signals. The adder circuit adds and outputs the reception signals for each predetermined group. The ultrasound probe further comprises a gate means. The gate means switches connection and disconnection of the signal path for each signal path arranged between the ultrasound transducer and the adder circuit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is configured to execute an imaging mode of alternately executing a continuous wave Doppler mode of acquiring time-series Doppler data by performing continuous wave transmission/reception with respect to an object and a B mode of acquiring tomogram data represented by luminance by transmitting and receiving a pulse wave to and from the object, the apparatus includes a data acquisition unit configured to acquire continuous wave Doppler data and the tomogram data by alternately executing the continuous wave Doppler mode and the B mode while switching the modes, and a display unit configured to simultaneously display Doppler spectrum information generated based on the continuous wave Doppler data and a tomogram generated based on the tomogram data.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to an ultrasound probe having a first ultrasound vibrator group and a second ultrasound vibrator group, comprising a plurality of matrix switches and an adder. The ultrasound probe has a mode to send ultrasound to a predetermined observation point within a subject by the first ultrasound vibrator group, and to receive ultrasound echoes reflected within the subject by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The plurality of matrix switches extract, based on the distance between the second ultrasound vibrator group and the observation point, a plurality of ultrasound echoes having substantially the same phase from a plurality of ultrasound echoes output by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The adder adds the plurality of ultrasound echoes extracted by the plurality of matrix switches for each of the matrix switches and outputs them.

Abstract: A bias gate part supplies a bias current to a transmission pulse generator. The transmission pulse generator receives the supply 6of the bias current, amplifies an input voltage, and supplies an output voltage obtained by the amplification to array transducer elements. In accordance with the timing of transmitting ultrasound waves from the array transducer elements and the level of the output voltage supplied to the array transducer elements, the bias gate part supplies the bias current to the transmission pulse generator while changing the timing of supplying the bias current.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe like a biplane probe having two ultrasonic transducers, a switch for selecting one of the ultrasonic transducers, a transmitting-receiving system for driving an ultrasonic transducer selected by the switch to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, a B-mode image producing means responsive to a receive signal from the ultrasonic transducer driven by the transmitting-receiving system for producing an ultrasonic cross-sectional image, a scanning-plane mark generator for generating a scanning-plane mark indicating the positional relationship between the ultrasonic scanning plane formed by the ultrasonic transducer selected by the switch and the other ultrasonic scanning plane formed by the other ultrasonic transducer and a TV monitor for displaying a superimposition image in which the scanning-plane mark generated by the scanning-plane mark generator is superimposed on the ultrasonic cross-sectional image produced by the B-mode image producing system

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transmit/receive circuit having a plurality of transmit channels for enabling a drive pulse to a corresponding ultrasonic oscillation element and a plurality of receive channels for receiving an ultrasonic signal echoed back from a subject and an ultrasonic probe having a plurality of ultrasonic oscillation elements smaller in number than the number of channels in the transmit/receive circuit. The apparatus further includes a connector for selectively connecting a plurality of transmit channel output terminals in a parallel connection unit to a corresponding ultrasonic oscillation element to drive ultrasonic oscillation elements in parallel fashion or a plurality of receive channel input terminals in parallel connection unit to a corresponding ultrasonic oscillation element in the ultrasonic probe to receive an echo signal via the corresponding plurality of receive channels for processing.

Abstract: A probe for an electronic scanning type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which a plurality of real transducers and one or more pseudo-transducers are arranged in a row on a supporting plate. In order to equalize the ultrasonic directivity characteristics of each of the real transducers, the pseudo-transducers are arranged adjacent to the real transducers which are located at the ends of the row, and have approximately the same shape and dimensions as the real transducers.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic probe comprising a piezoelectric element in which a first and second electrodes provided respectively on both surfaces of a piezoelectric material are arranged in such a way that said electrodes have end portions facing each other near the center of, and with the interposition of, the piezoelectric material.