Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an imaging catheter and an imaging apparatus. The imaging catheter has an insert for being inserted into a blood vessel, a transducer disposed in the insert, and at least one temperature sensor disposed in the insert. The temperature sensor measures the intravascular temperature in a radial direction of the blood vessel and rotates to measure an intravascular temperature distribution in a transverse cross section of the blood vessel.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer has a rectangular piezo-electric ceramic sheet piece 2 which has a retracted portion 1 on a side face, an upper electrode layer 3 placed on an upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece, 4 a first terminal electrode that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and connected to the upper electrode layer 3, a lower electrode layer 5 placed on the lower surface of the ceramic sheet piece, an electro-conductive layer 6 that is placed on the retracted side face 1 and connected to the lower electrode layer 5, a second terminal electrode 7 that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and is connected to the electro-conductive layer 6, a first lead wire 9a connected to the first terminal electrode, a second lead wire 9b connected to the second terminal electrode 7, an acoustic matching layer 10 placed on the upper electrode layer, and an acoustic absorbing layer 11 placed on the surface of the lower electrode layer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer has a rectangular piezo-electric ceramic sheet piece 2 which has a retracted portion 1 on a side face, an upper electrode layer 3 placed on an upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece, 4 a first terminal electrode that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and connected to the upper electrode layer 3, a lower electrode layer 5 placed on the lower surface of the ceramic sheet piece, an electro-conductive layer 6 that is placed on the retracted side face 1 and connected to the lower electrode layer 5, a second terminal electrode 7 that is placed on the upper surface of the ceramic sheet piece and is connected to the electro-conductive layer 6, a first lead wire 9a connected to the first terminal electrode, a second lead wire 9b connected to the second terminal electrode 7, an acoustic matching layer 10 placed on the upper electrode layer, and an acoustic absorbing layer 11 placed on the surface of the lower electrode layer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention has an ultrasonic transducer mounted on a catheter, an instantaneous distortion value calculator which calculates an instantaneous distortion value at the location to be evaluated in the blood vessel based on received signal representative of received reflection by the ultrasonic transducer, an analyzer which analyzes a state of the location to be evaluated using time-series data of instantaneous distortion values which are calculated at a plurality of times in a chronological sequence by the distortion value calculator, and a display which displays an analyzed result produced by the analyzer.

Abstract: An ultrasound catheter includes a transducer unit used for observation of the inside of an organism, observation lumens in which the transducer unit is disposed and which extend in the direction of insertion into the organism, a first guide wire lumen provided substantially in parallel to the observation lumens and on the distal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which a guide wire preliminarily brought to the inside of the organism is passed, and a second guide wire lumen provided on an extension line of the first guide wire lumen and on the proximal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which the guide wire is passed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an imaging catheter and an imaging apparatus. The imaging catheter has an insert for being inserted into a blood vessel, a transducer disposed in the insert, and at least one temperature sensor disposed in the insert. The temperature sensor measures the intravascular temperature in a radial direction of the blood vessel and rotates to measure an intravascular temperature distribution in a transverse cross section of the blood vessel.

Abstract: A catheter includes a sheath main body portion, a first lumen, a sheath distal end portion, and a second lumen. The sheath main body portion is inserted into an organism. The first lumen is a passage provided in the sheath main body portion and through which a guide wire for guiding the sheath main body portion in an organism can be passed. The sheath distal end portion is provided on a lateral side of a distal end portion of the sheath main body portion. The second lumen is a passage different from the first lumen, provided in the sheath distal end portion, and through which a guide wire can be passed. The catheter can have both ease of exchange of catheter, which is the merit of an RX type catheter, and distal end pushing force transmission performance (pushability), which is the merit of an OTW type catheter.

Abstract: An ultrasound catheter includes a transducer unit used for observation of the inside of an organism, imaging core lumens in which the transducer unit is disposed and which extend in the direction of insertion into the organism, a first guide wire lumen provided substantially in parallel to the imaging core lumens and on the distal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which a guide wire preliminarily brought to the inside of the organism is passed, and a second guide wire lumen provided on an extension line of the first guide wire lumen and on the proximal end side in the insertion direction in relation to the transducer unit and through which the guide wire is passed.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention has an ultrasonic transducer mounted on a catheter, an instantaneous distortion value calculator which calculates an instantaneous distortion value at the location to be evaluated in the blood vessel based on received signal representative of received reflection by the ultrasonic transducer, an analyzer which analyzes a state of the location to be evaluated using time-series data of instantaneous distortion values which are calculated at a plurality of times in a chronological sequence by the distortion value calculator, and a display which displays an analyzed result produced by the analyzer.

Abstract: A catheter includes a sheath main body portion, a first lumen, a sheath distal end portion, and a second lumen. The sheath main body portion is inserted into an organism. The first lumen is a passage provided in the sheath main body portion and through which a guide wire for guiding the sheath main body portion in an organism can be passed. The sheath distal end portion is provided on a lateral side of a distal end portion of the sheath main body portion. The second lumen is a passage different from the first lumen, provided in the sheath distal end portion, and through which a guide wire can be passed. The catheter can have both ease of exchange of catheter, which is the merit of an RX type catheter, and distal end pushing force transmission performance (pushability), which is the merit of an OTW type catheter.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging catheter includes an outer sheath that is adapted to be inserted into a body cavity, and a drive shaft that is positioned in the outer sheath for transmitting mechanical driving force. The catheter is also provided with first and second elastic members. The first elastic member is disposed at the tip portion of the outer sheath while the second elastic member that is secured to the housing containing a transducer has a free end that is inserted into the first elastic member. The portion of the catheter between the housing and the first elastic member at the free end of the catheter is thus reinforced to improve flexibility and kinking of the catheter. The housing can be made of insulating ceramic material so that the insulation and resistance of the housing is high. Thus, a short between the electrodes of the oscillator does not occur even when the oscillator is in direct contact with the housing.

Abstract: One ultrasonic endoprobe of this invention has a tubular member formed of a superelastic metal tube and a resin cover covering the outside surface of the superelastic metal tube. An inner assembly comprising an ultrasonic transducer is housed in the tubular member. Another ultrasonic endoprobe of this invention has a composite tubular member formed of a coil, a braid covering the outside surface of the coil, and an outer cover covering the outside surface of the braid. An inner assembly comprising an ultrasonic transducer is housed in the composite tubular member. The ultrasonic endoprobe of this invention has a very small diameter, a high flexibility, a high durability, and a higt torque-transmissibility.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a piezoelectric material layer having a pair of electrodes provided on both main surfaces thereof for applying voltage thereto, and a backing material provided on one electrode. The backing material has an acoustic impedance lower than that of the piezoelectric material layer. Interposed between the backing material and one electrode is an acoustic reflecting material layer which has a thick first portion and a thin second portion. The second portion may have a substantially zero thickness to allow the backing material to be in partial contact with one electrode. Thereby, the ultrasonic probe can transmit and receive ultrasonic waves at its resonance frequencies. Also provided is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus which displays an image resultant from combining images having the frequencies obtained by driving the ultrasonic probe.

Abstract: An ultrasonic coupler provided with an ultrasonic wave propagating member formed of a water-containing polymeric gel and a holder for accommodating said propagating member and fixing it to a probe, which ultrasonic coupler is intended to be interposed between a subject under test and an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave to and from the subject under test and characterized by the fact that said ultrasonic wave propagating member is a water-containing polymeric gel produced by integrally cross-linking an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymeric compound with said holder inside said holder.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric body having a reflector and an acoustic matching layer deposited on the opposing surfaces thereof. The piezoelectric body is constituted by a piezoelectric member exhibiting an acoustic impedence of from 2.5.times.10.sup.6 to 15.times.10.sup.6 kg/m.sup.2 s, and the reflector has a thickness of less than .lambda..sub.2 / 4, where .lambda..sub.2 represents the wavelength of sound in the reflector at a frequency which is one half the free resonance frequency of the piezoelectric body. The acoustic matching layer includes a material exhibiting an acoustic impedance of from 1.6.times.10.sup.6 to 4.times.10.sup.6 kg/m.sup.2 s and has a thickness of from .lambda..sub.3 /8 to 28 .lambda..sub.3 /120, where .lambda..sub.3 represents the wavelength of sound in the acoustic matching layer at a frequency which is one half the free resonance frequency of the piezoelectric body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric member consisting of either a unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, or an in-advance polarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, a first flexible substrate on which a first electrode set and their connecting leads are formed, these being bonded to one surface of the piezoelectric member, and a second flexible substrate on which a second electrode and its connecting lead are formed, these being bonded to the other surface of the piezoelectric member, wherein the piezoelectric member is sandwiched between the first electrode set and second electrode. The electrodes can apply a voltage to polarize the unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material in a manufacturing process of the piezoelectric member, or apply a drive voltage to the finished ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a plate-shaped piezoelectric body made of a piezoelectric polymer material and having a polarized portion obtained by polarizing a prescribed region thereof, as well as first and second unpolarized portions contiguous to the polarized portion. A first electrode is formed on one main surface of the piezoelectric body to cover the polarized portion and has an edge portion extending over the first unpolarized portion. A second electrode is formed on the other main surface of the piezoelectric body to cover the polarized portion and has an edge portion extending over the second unpolarized portion. A first conductive lead is electrically connected to the edge portion of the first electrode, and a second conductive lead is electrically connected to the edge portion of the second electrode.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric member consisting of either a unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, or an in-advance polarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, a first flexible substrate on which a first electrode set and their connecting leads are formed, these being bonded to one surface of the piezoelectric member, and a second flexible substrate on which a second electrode and its connecting lead are formed, these being bonded to the other surface of the piezoelectric member, wherein the piezoelectric member is sandwiched between the first electrode set and second electrode. The electrodes can apply a voltage to polarize the unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material in a manufacturing process of the piezoelectric member, or apply a drive voltage to the finished ultrasonic transducer. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A method of forming, through plasma chemical vapor deposition technique, an amorphous silicon film, one side thereof intended for ohmic contact with specifically an aluminum electrode in a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: introducing a starting gas containing at least a silicon-containing gas into an evacuated container; and subjecting said gas to plasma chemical vapor deposition through a glow discharge at a power density of 0.3 W/cm.sup.2 or greater. The particular a-Si region thus obtained provides a good ohmic contact with an aluminum electrode which is low in price and in melting point but high in reliability. In case an active a-Si region is desired, it is only necessary to lower the power density to a level below 0.3 W/cm.sup.2.