Abstract: A puncture adapter includes a main body, a pair of operation parts, a pair of engaging parts, and a pair of connectors. The main body includes a first part having a first width and a second part having a second width that is narrower than the first width. The operation parts come close to each other in response to the removal operation. Each of the engaging parts is integrally formed with either one of the operation parts, and is engageable with an ultrasound probe. Each of the connectors connects one end in the width direction of the second part and a position between one of the operation parts and one of the engaging parts. When the operation parts come close to each other in response to the removal operation, the engaging parts separate from each other to release the engagement.

Abstract: The ultrasound probe insertable into a body cavity of a subject has a clamped member including a plurality of pairs of clamped surfaces capable of being clamped by a forcep. The clamped member is formed so as to protrude from a surface which is the opposite side of the surface from where ultrasound waves are emitted, among the surfaces of the probe head.

Abstract: A device fixing adaptor according to an embodiment fixes a device disposed at a grip part of an ultrasound probe to the ultrasound probe, by having such a shape that causes the device and a cable connected to the device to be pressed against the grip part from a top face thereof and inhibits the device from shifting a position thereof around the grip part.

Abstract: The ultrasonic probe comprises an ultrasonic transducer section in which a plural of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a row in the scanning direction, an acoustic lens and a low attenuation medium, and further comprises a probe shell housing the ultrasonic transducer section, acoustic lens, and low attenuation medium. In the probe shell, the low attenuation medium is located at the top end (contact surface with a subject to be examined) of the ultrasonic probe, and the low attenuation medium, acoustic lens, and ultrasonic transducer section are located in order. In this way, the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer section are converged by the acoustic lens and transmitted outside the probe shell through the low attenuation medium. The reflection waves from the subject to be examined are received by the ultrasonic transducer section through the low attenuation medium.

Abstract: A generating unit generates a plurality of ultrasonic cross-sectional images at a plurality of angles when an ultrasonic wave emitting surface in an ultrasonic probe is rotated. A regenerating unit saves information on the angle of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and rotates the ultrasonic wave emitting surface from the angle of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface different from the saved angle information to the angle based on the saved angle information.

Abstract: The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is provided capable of preventing visibility of the ultrasound image from being impaired when piercing a puncture needle. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to the embodiments includes an image processor and a display controller. The image processor generates an ultrasound image based on echo signals received by the ultrasound probe. The display controller causes a display unit to display, along with the ultrasound image, a marker which indicates allowable change range for the orientation of the puncture needle defined by the guide mechanism for guiding the puncture needle to the puncture target part.

Abstract: An apparatus has: an ultrasound probe that transmits and receives ultrasound waves to and from a subject and has an ultrasound transmission/reception surface; an acoustic coupler that has a different shape for each type and is attachable and detachable so as to cover the ultrasound transmission/reception surface; a generator that, based on the ultrasound waves received by the ultrasound probe, generates an image expanding in a depth direction from the ultrasound transmission/reception surface; and an analyzer that, based on presence/absence and shape of an acoustic coupler region within the image generated by the generator, identifies presence/absence of mounting of the acoustic coupler and a type of the mounted acoustic coupler. Consequently, the apparatus is capable of identifying the acoustic coupler though the ultrasound probe and the acoustic coupler are not provided with special structures.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus are provided that are capable of reducing the frequency with which false images are generated in an ultrasound diagnostic image. An ultrasound probe of an embodiment comprises a transducer element unit in which multiple groups of transducer elements are arranged, and a selection means. Each of the multiple groups of transducer elements has a first to nth subgroups of transducer elements. Emitting surfaces of the transducer elements included in the first to the nth subgroups of transducer elements are arranged such that they face different directions for each subgroups of transducer elements. The selection means is provided to selectively activate a specific subgroup of transducer elements from among the first to the nth subgroups of transducer elements, based on an external activation signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound probe in which bend of a tip part is fixed only in a state that it is not bent in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which ultrasonic waves are emitted from an ultrasound generation source. To be specific, the ultrasound probe includes: a rod-like tip part inserted into a body cavity; an ultrasound emitting part placed at the tip part to emit ultrasonic waves to a subject; a first bending part for bending the tip part in a direction substantially orthogonal to the emission direction; and a fixing part configured to, when the first bending part is not bending the tip part toward any side of the direction orthogonal to the emission direction, lock a rotation member of the first bending part and inhibit the first bending part from bending the tip part in the direction substantially orthogonal to the emission direction.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis system including a motor driving multi-plane ultrasound probe for acquiring image data at a voluntary scanning plane in a body of a patient is provided. The data acquisition is performed by driving rotation of a plurality of transducers arranged in a head portion of the probe toward a target angle of a prescribed rotation range by driving an arranged surface of the plurality transducers so as to make a plurality of scanning planes toward a first direction in a normal mode. The driving direction of the head portion is automatically reversed by 180 degrees to a second direction opposite to the first direction at a high speed in a reverse mode when the rotation angle of the head portion arrives at the target angle. The reversed head portion can continue to acquire image data at the same scanning planes to the previous scanning planes of the rotation drive to the first direction.

Abstract: An ultrasonically guided puncturing needle stabbed in a subject being irradiated with an ultrasonic wave, the needle includes a cylindrical needle-like member having concaves and convexes formed on a peripheral surface of the needle-like member to reflect the ultrasonic wave, and a film formed on the peripheral surface on which the concaves and convexes are formed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an intracorporeal monitoring apparatus having a flection includes: a tip unit that receives an ultrasonic signal or light from inside a subject and converts the ultrasonic signal or light into an electric signal; a guiding unit that transmits the electric signal obtained by the tip unit; and a flection that is provided between the guiding unit and the tip unit, transmits the electric signal obtained by the tip unit to the guiding unit, and can be bent, the flection has a conductor that is curved and extensible, one or a plurality of layers of conductive tubes coating the conductor, and a layer of an insulating tube coating the conductive tubes.

Abstract: An apparatus has: an ultrasound probe that transmits and receives ultrasound waves to and from a subject and has an ultrasound transmission/reception surface; an acoustic coupler that has a different shape for each type and is attachable and detachable so as to cover the ultrasound transmission/reception surface; a generator that, based on the ultrasound waves received by the ultrasound probe, generates an image expanding in a depth direction from the ultrasound transmission/reception surface; and an analyzer that, based on presence/absence and shape of an acoustic coupler region within the image generated by the generator, identifies presence/absence of mounting of the acoustic coupler and a type of the mounted acoustic coupler. Consequently, the apparatus is capable of identifying the acoustic coupler though the ultrasound probe and the acoustic coupler are not provided with special structures.

Abstract: A tube has a hollow portion and at its tip end, a recess with an open window. A rotating member is held in the recess and is rotated about a central axis. A driving cable transmits a rotating force to the rotating member (or a feeding cable supplies an electric power to a drive part for rotating the rotating member). A piezoelectric vibrator is supported by the rotating member so as to swing its ultrasonic-wave transmitting/receiving surface about a swing axis that is orthogonal to the central axis. A permanent magnet is provided on one of the rotating member and the piezoelectric vibrator. An electromagnet is provided on the other of the rotating member and the piezoelectric vibrator so as to be opposed to the permanent magnet. And a power supply cable supplies, to the electromagnet, a current for swinging the piezoelectric vibrator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasound probe in which bend of a tip part is fixed only in a state that it is not bent in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which ultrasonic waves are emitted from an ultrasound generation source. To be specific, the ultrasound probe includes: a rod-like tip part inserted into a body cavity; an ultrasound emitting part placed at the tip part to emit ultrasonic waves to a subject; a first bending part for bending the tip part in a direction substantially orthogonal to the emission direction; and a fixing part configured to, when the first bending part is not bending the tip part toward any side of the direction orthogonal to the emission direction, lock a rotation member of the first bending part and inhibit the first bending part from bending the tip part in the direction substantially orthogonal to the emission direction.

Abstract: A paracentesis needle holder attachable to an ultrasonic probe is provided. The holder includes a needle guide, an adjustment mechanism, and an open/close mechanism. The needle guide includes a first base and a second base and is configured to guide a needle in a plurality of directions between the first and second bases. The adjustment mechanism is provided at the needle guide and configured to adjust spacing between the first base and the second base in accordance with a diameter of the needle. The open/close mechanism is coupled with the needle guide and configured to close the first and second bases so that the needle is guided in one of the directions and to open the first and second bases so that the needle becomes releasable from the holder.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus that can acquire 3-D ultrasound image data of a wide viewing scope including both a diagnosis portion and peripheral portions of the diagnosis portion by swinging a transducer unit in an orthogonal direction to an array of a plurality transducers in the transducer unit without sacrificing the operability of the ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a transducer unit having a plurality of transducers, an arm for holding one edge of the transducer unit so as to be extendable in a longitudinal direction, a rail body for holding the other edge of the transducer unit and a driving unit for driving the transducer unit along the rail body. The rail body is comprised of a main rail member having a first curvature in order to form a main track and at least one sub-rail member having a second curvature being larger than the first curvature for forming at least one sub-track.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis system including a motor driving multi-plane ultrasound probe for acquiring image data at a voluntary scanning plane in a body of a patient is provided. The data acquisition is performed by driving rotation of a plurality of transducers arranged in a head portion of the probe toward a target angle of a prescribed rotation range by driving an arranged surface of the plurality transducers so as to make a plurality of scanning planes toward a first direction in a normal mode. The driving direction of the head portion is automatically reversed by 180 degrees to a second direction opposite to the first direction at a high speed in a reverse mode when the rotation angle of the head portion arrives at the target angle. The reversed head portion can continue to acquire image data at the same scanning planes to the previous scanning planes of the rotation drive to the first direction.