Abstract: An advantageous combination of preamplifier electronics and circuits for acoustic beam forming with ultrasound transducer arrays permits integration of the electronics and transducer(s) at close distances in a compact arrangement and is operable from an ultrasound imaging or measurement system using only a minimal number of connecting electric wires. To achieve dynamic focusing of the receive beam with a transducer array, an integrated electronic circuit mounted in close proximity to the transducer array provides preamplifiers for the individual elements and delay circuits that are automatically switched in a predetermined time sequence after transmission of an imaging pulse. When a high voltage pulse is transmitted via the cable, a breakthrough circuit connects the cable to the transducer for transmission of the ultrasound pulse, while in receive mode the low level signal on the transducer is amplified and fed as a higher level signal via the same cable to the imaging or measurement instrument.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided for medical applications which can be used both in high resolution imaging and therapy or other high intensity applications. The probe includes a primary ultrasonic transducer array operating at first resonant frequency and formed by a plurality of elements arranged linearly along a coordinate axis, and a secondary ultrasonic transducer array operating at second resonant frequency and comprising a plurality of elements arranged linearly along the coordinate axis and being interdigitated with the elements of the primary ultrasonic transducer array. In one embodiment, separate transducer units are joined to form the probe while in a further embodiment, the two arrays are produced from a common piezoelectric member.

Abstract: A medical diagnostic ultrasonic imaging system analyzes receive signals generated by the system to adaptively set the interline delay and/or the transmit power to optimize frame rate while reducing or eliminating the wraparound artifact associated with transmit events that are too closely spaced in time for currently prevailing imaging conditions.

Abstract: The method of the invention controls an ultrasound system to image a microbubble contrast agent in a region of fluid flow and/or a region of tissue that is perfused by blood or other fluid. A transducer transmits ultrasound acoustic signals having a fundamental frequency f and receives echoes resulting from interaction of the ultrasound signals with both tissue and the microbubble contrast agent. A transmitter controls the transducer to transmit ultrasound signals at a sufficient power level to destroy the microbubble contrast agent. A receiver processes the echoes and selectively extracts signal components that exhibit a noninteger multiple of the fundamental frequency f of the transmitted acoustic signal. The system then produces images, principally from signal components including those that exhibit the noninteger multiple of the fundamental frequency f.

Abstract: A medical ultrasonic imaging method uses transmitted plane waves, or transmitted wavefronts that are substantially planar, to improve contrast agent imaging by generating peak pressures that are more uniform over depth. Depending on the type of contrast agent, the returned frequencies of interest, and the desired strength of the non-linear response, multiple wavefronts can be generated at substantially the same time to increase peak pressures.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus indicates the preceding time length which lasts until the next scanning start time on a bar graph or the like, thereby relieving the operator's duty in carrying out intermittent scanning.