Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasonic endoscope, comprising: an ultrasonic transducer in a cylindrical shape including a plurality of piezoelectric devices, an acoustic matching layer stacked on a principal plane on a sound emitting plane side, an acoustic lens on a plane of the acoustic matching layer opposite to a plane facing the piezoelectric devices, and a backing material stacked on another principal planes of the piezoelectric devices; an endoscopic observation and endo-therapy unit provided, for performing endoscopic image observation, at a proximal end side of the ultrasonic transducer; a cable assembly including a plurality of cables for transmitting signals to and from the ultrasonic transducer. In the above configuration, the cable assembly is arranged in such a manner that the cable assembly passes through an inside portion of the ultrasonic transducer, and is connected to the ultrasonic transducer at a distal end side of the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer arraying at even intervals ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and layering a plurality of acoustic matching layers on them, comprising an transducer shape forming member made of a fiber-reinforced thermosetting PPE for filling a gap formed on the side face of the ultrasonic transducer with the same material as that of the acoustic matching layer, mixing a colorant in a division member adjacent to a predefined ultrasonic transducer from among a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and arraying the plurality thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasound transducer of the present invention includes elements each provided with an electromechanical conversion element that converts an electric signal inputted between a first electrode and a second electrode into vibration, an array section made up of n elements in a row direction and m elements in a column direction (nm) arranged in a matrix form, and an array forming section that switches between a one-dimensional array state column-wise made up of m element groups formed by electrically connecting the first electrode terminals neighboring in the row direction out of the first electrode terminals in the element groups arranged on the same column and a one-dimensional array state row-wise made up of n element groups formed by electrically connecting the first electrode terminals neighboring in the column direction out of the first electrode terminals in the element groups arranged on the same row in the array section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer in which lead wire connection is facilitated even when piezoelectric devices are divided in order to prevent lateral vibrations from affecting longitudinal vibrations is manufactured by a method comprising: a step in which first dicing grooves are formed on an acoustic matching layer and a piezoelectric device plate that are mounted together in order to form a plurality of piezoelectric devices; a step in which a board and the respective piezoelectric devices are connected together; a step in which surfaces in the vicinity of locations at which the board and the piezoelectric devices are connected together are coated with a conductive sheet; and a step in which the plurality of transducer elements are formed by forming second dicing grooves between the first dicing grooves formed on the piezoelectric devices and the board that is coated with the conductive sheet and on the acoustic matching layer.

Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: When an ultrasound endoscope arrives at an objective area, a puncture needle is located in a scan area of a first ultrasound image. Thereby, an image of the puncture needle is delineated on the first ultrasound image. Furthermore, an ultrasound probe is inserted into the puncture needle and an ultrasound transducer of the ultrasound probe is arranged in the objective area through the puncture needle. Then, the ultrasound probe is driven and a second ultrasound image is delineated. Detailed observation inside the objective area in which the puncture needle is punctured is possible with the second ultrasound image.

Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an insertion portion having a distal end portion and at least two channels; an optical observation system provided on one surface of the distal end portion so as to face an axial direction different from a direction of an insertion axis X of the insertion portion; a first channel opening provided on one surface of the distal end portion near the optical observation system; an ultrasound transducer array provided on the one surface of the distal end portion and having a scanning surface Z parallel to the insertion axis; and a second channel opening provided on a proximal end side of the ultrasound transducer array.

Abstract: An electronic radial ultrasonic probe comprising an electronic radial array which comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers being continuously arrayed circularly around an insertion axis as center and also for which a transmission/reception of an ultrasonic wave is controlled by electronically selecting the plurality of ultrasonic transducer, comprises: a support member equipped on the electronic radial array; a lock member featured with a cavity in which the support member is inserted and with a lock groove for locking a balloon which is mounted in a manner to cover the electronic radial array and in which an ultrasonic medium is filled; and a filler member which is constituted by an adhesive material converting from a fluid state to a solid state, and is filled in the cavity.

Abstract: An endoscopic overtube of the present invention includes an endoscope insertion passage through which an endoscope is inserted, a treatment instrument insertion passage through which a treatment instrument is inserted, and an ultrasound transmission medium distributor capable of distributing an ultrasound transmission medium from the treatment instrument insertion passage to the endoscope insertion pass age. The thus configured endoscopic overtube of the present invention can hold the ultrasound transmission medium, excel in placing the ultrasound transmission medium, and smoothly supply the ultrasound transmission medium into the treatment instrument insertion passage.

Abstract: In an ultrasound endoscopic intraluminal organ treatment method according to the present invention, a surgeon forms a first opening in a wall of a first luminal organ while observing an optical image and an ultrasound image formed by an ultrasound endoscope led into the first luminal organ through a natural orifice, pulls a part of a desired second luminal organ adjacent to the first luminal organ into the inside of the first luminal organ from the first opening through an abdominal cavity, and applies treatment to the second luminal organ in the inside of the first luminal organ.

Abstract: An electronic radial type ultrasonic transducer arraying, in a cylindrical form, a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, and for storing cables corresponding to the respective ultrasonic transducer elements for transmitting a drive signal for driving each of the ultrasonic transducer elements in the inside of a group of the ultrasonic transducer elements arrayed in the cylindrical form, featuring a conductive film on a surface of an insulator through which the cable group is led, and also comprising an acoustic lens constituted of a lens part which is connected to a ground wire and featured as a convex form and a cover part covering an easily breakable part or conductor material which is electrically connected to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

Abstract: A transducer wiring pad group provided in a distal end portion of an ultrasound transducer printed circuit board provided with signal patterns that transmit and receive signals to and from a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group arranged in a longitudinal axis direction of the ultrasound transducer printed circuit board, a second signal pattern group that is connected between the transducer wiring pad group and the flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group and bends at substantially degrees in the middle thereof, and a relay flexible printed circuit board that is connected to the flexible printed circuit board wiring pad group and changes a direction of a signal pattern into the longitudinal axis direction are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic transducer which is composed of a plurality of piezoelectric elements having an electrode on each of two opposite surfaces, an acoustic matching layer arranged on the first surface that is one of the two opposite surfaces, a wiring board so arranged on the acoustic matching layer as to be in contact with the piezoelectric element, and a conductor electrically connecting the wiring board with the electrode on the second surface that is one of the two opposite surfaces. This ultrasonic transducer is characterized in that the surface of the wiring board on the same side as the second surface of the piezoelectric element is positioned relatively lower than the second surface of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An ultrasound endoscope has an ultrasound probe which is disposed at a distal end side of a distal end rigid portion configuring a distal end portion out of a flexible tube portion, a bending portion and the distal end rigid portion configuring an insertion portion, and forms an ultrasound scanning surface having a normal line in a direction orthogonal to an endoscope insertion axis L1, and a treatment instrument outlet of a treatment hole in the distal end rigid portion. The ultrasound probe is configured by a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged in a convex circular arc shape, and a center of curvature of the plurality of ultrasound transducers is disposed at a proximal end side from the treatment instrument outlet.