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: A backing material is provided on the back face side of a piezoelectric transducer, with a first width substantially equal to the piezoelectric transducer widthwise and perpendicular to the radiation direction. A front face of a layer located on the front face side with regard to a wiring pattern has a width substantially equal to the first width. Moreover, the back face of this layer has a second width shorter than the first width. A space is provided between this layer and the backing material due to the difference between the first width and the second width of this layer, and a covering member covering the wiring pattern covers the wiring pattern extending at least from the folded section of the flexible substrate into the space.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe is provided that may improves specific desensitization of the frequency observed in the frequency characteristics and/or directional characteristics. The ultrasound probe related to this embodiment comprises an ultrasound transducer 10 and a plurality of acoustic matching layers 20 arranged in layers in the direction of irradiation irradiated from the ultrasound transducer 10, wherein, the plurality of acoustic matching layers 20 form a film and each of the adjacent acoustic impedance of longitudinal waves is substantially the same and has a different poisson's ratio.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a first electrode, a plurality of second electrodes, a plurality of stacked flexible printed circuit boards, and a plurality of connection portions. The plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed. The first electrode is provided on the emitting surface side of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of second electrodes are respectively provided on the rear surface sides of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of stacked flexible printed circuit boards respectively include a plurality of terminals. The plurality of connection portions electrically connect the second electrodes to the terminals. At least one of the flexible printed circuit boards extends longer than the flexible printed circuit board serving as an upper layer.

Abstract: Provided is an acoustic lens composition which comprises 40 wt % or more of silicone rubber and 15 to 60 wt % of a zinc oxide powder, suppresses ultrasonic attenuation, and has superior molding properties.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe having a forced cooling system for circulating a liquid through a probe cable. The ultrasound probe comprised of a handle unit including a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a flexible cable connected to the handle unit and a connector unit coupled to the cable. The cable includes a plurality of electric signal lines and a cooling liquid circulation flow channel. The circulation flow channel is comprised of an outward path for transmitting the cooling liquid from the connector unit to the handle unit, and a return path for transmitting the cooling liquid from the handle unit to the connector unit. At least either one of the outward path or the return path is comprised of a plurality of thin tubes.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe transmitting and receiving ultrasound toward and from a subject, a puncture adaptor configured to be fixed to the ultrasonic probe and to hold a puncture needle, wherein the puncture adaptor has moving part movable in relation to the ultrasonic probe with the puncture needle, and a sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe, and configured to detect the position of the moving part. As the puncture needle is moved relative to the probe, the movable part is correspondingly moved relative to the probe, and movement of the movable part, and therefore also of the puncture needle, is detected by the sensor.

Abstract: The ultrasound probe according to the present embodiment comprises ultrasound oscillators configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves, an intermediate layer configured to have greater acoustic impedance than the ultrasound oscillators, a backing material configured to support the ultrasound oscillators, and a buffer layer. The ultrasound oscillators, the intermediate layer and the backing material are disposed in that order of the ultrasound oscillator, the intermediate layer and the backing material. The buffer layer, which has smaller acoustic impedance than the intermediate layer and the backing material, is disposed between the intermediate layer and the backing material.

Abstract: The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to the embodiments transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject, generates an ultrasound image based on the signals received from the subject, and comprises sub arrays, a main array, an aperture diameter setting part, and a delay pattern setting part. The sub arrays consist of a plurality of ultrasound transducers that are two-dimensionally disposed, and have a fixed delay pattern during a single receiving period. The main array consists of sub arrays. The aperture diameter setting part sets the aperture diameter of the main array. The delay pattern setting part changes the delay pattern for each of the sub arrays depending on the aperture diameter.

Abstract: A ultrasonic probe has a plurality of piezoelectric transducers arranged in the array direction. Each piezoelectric transducer has a piezoelectric element which vibrates in the thickness direction. A signal electrode is formed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric element. An earth electrode is formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric element. Inside the piezoelectric element, a plurality of non-piezoelectric elements are arranged along the lens direction. Each non-piezoelectric element does not come in contact with the signal electrode and the earth electrode.

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: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements, a first electrode, a plurality of second electrodes, a plurality of stacked flexible printed circuit boards, and a plurality of connection portions. The plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed. The first electrode is provided on the emitting surface side of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of second electrodes are respectively provided on the rear surface sides of the plurality of piezoelectric elements. The plurality of stacked flexible printed circuit boards respectively include a plurality of terminals. The plurality of connection portions electrically connect the second electrodes to the terminals. At least one of the flexible printed circuit boards extends longer than the flexible printed circuit board serving as an upper layer.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe having a forced cooling system for circulating a liquid through a probe cable. The ultrasound probe comprised of a handle unit including a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a flexible cable connected to the handle unit and a connector unit coupled to the cable. The cable includes a plurality of electric signal lines and a cooling liquid circulation flow channel. The circulation flow channel is comprised of an outward path for transmitting the cooling liquid from the connector unit to the handle unit, and a return path for transmitting the cooling liquid from the handle unit to the connector unit. At least either one of the outward path or the return path is comprised of a plurality of thin tubes.

Abstract: A plurality of piezoelectric elements are arrayed two-dimensionally. A plurality of electrodes are respectively formed on the plurality of piezoelectric elements. A plurality of non-conductive members have columnar shape and are arranged on the plurality of electrodes. A plurality of internal metal layers are respectively provided for the plurality of non-conductive members. The internal metal layers reach from arrangement surfaces of the non-conductive members to other surfaces of the non-conductive members. The arrangement surfaces are opposite to the other surfaces.

Abstract: In the ultrasound transducer of the present embodiment, front surface electrodes and rear surface electrodes are provided for a plurality of ultrasound vibrators. A circuit board is disposed on the rear surface side of the ultrasound vibrators, and connected to the rear surface electrodes. An electronic circuit is connected to the surface opposite to that of the rear surface electrodes side on the circuit board, and has signal paths to each ultrasound vibrator through the circuit board. A backing material is disposed on the rear surface side of the ultrasound vibrators, and is provided so as to sandwich between it and the ultrasound vibrators the circuit board and the electronic circuit.

Abstract: A two-dimensional array ultrasonic probe has an ultrasonic transducer. The transducer has transducer elements that are arranged in a first direction and a second direction, forming a lattice. Acoustic-emission electrodes are provided on the acoustic-emission surfaces of the transducer elements. Back electrodes are provided on the backs of the transducer elements. A transmitting-circuit unit is connected to the acoustic-emission electrodes. A receiving-circuit unit is connected to the back electrodes. Of the acoustic-emission electrodes, two electrodes are short-circuited to the transmitting circuits of the transmitting-circuit unit. The remaining two acoustic-emission electrodes are short-circuited to the receiving circuits of the receiving-circuit unit.

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: A puncture adapter is provided for being mounted on an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe to be mounted comprises a rod-like insertion portion that is insertable into a subject and has a search unit for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves at the tip end of the insertion portion, and in which a guide channel for guiding a puncture needle is formed on a side surface of the insertion portion. This puncture adapter has a first tubular component on which a gap is provided on a side surface along the length direction, which gap is from one end to the other side of the side surface. The first tubular component is mounted so as to contact the outside of the insertion portion and cover the guide channel, and is turnable in the circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe transmitting and receiving ultrasound toward and from a subject, a puncture adaptor configured to be fixed to the ultrasonic probe and to hold a puncture needle, wherein the puncture adaptor has moving part movable in relation to the ultrasonic probe with the puncture needle, and a sensor provided at the ultrasonic probe, and configured to detect the position of the moving part. As the puncture needle is moved relative to the probe, the movable part is correspondingly moved relative to the probe, and movement of the movable part, and therefore also of the puncture needle, is detected by the sensor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, an acoustic lens configured to focus the ultrasonic waves and an acoustic matching layer arranged between the piezoelectric vibrator and the acoustic lens and configured to modify acoustic impedance from the piezoelectric vibrator to the acoustic lens. The acoustic matching layer includes a first region arranged at center areas along a direction of transmitting and receiving of the ultrasonic waves, a second region arranged between the first region and the piezoelectric vibrator and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region and a third region arranged between the first region and the acoustic lens, and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than a rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region.