Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus adapted to measure the elastic modulus of a vascular wall includes a heartbeat selector for selecting a heartbeat in an M-mode image during the B/M-mode display and, after a heartbeat is selected, displays a B-mode image of a predetermined position in the selected heartbeat. The predetermined position is set in advance during the period of a heartbeat plus two additional periods before and after the heartbeat, with the length of each additional period being 20% on the length of the heartbeat. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus as such allows the display of an appropriate B-mode image corresponding to the heartbeat to be analyzed.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasound probe which has ultrasound transducers transmitting ultrasonic waves, receiving an ultrasonic echo reflected by a subject, and outputting a reception signal according to the received ultrasonic echo; an image producer which produces a B-mode image and an M-mode image from the reception signal output from the ultrasound transducers; and a boundary detector which detects a blood vessel anterior wall boundary in the B-mode image using a time phase of the M-mode image corresponding to the B-mode image.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasound probe which has ultrasound transducers capable of outputting reception signals from fundamental waves and harmonics; an image producer which produces a B-mode image and an M-mode image from the reception signal output from the ultrasound transducers with reception of the fundamental waves, and produces a B-mode image from the reception signal output from the ultrasound transducers with reception of the harmonics; and an actuation controller for the ultrasound probe which switches the ultrasound transducers at a predetermined timing between the output of the reception signal from the fundamental waves and the output of the reception signal from the harmonics.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus adapted for vascular wall elastic modulus measurement comprises an ultrasound probe, an actuation controller, an image producer, a region-of-interest setter, and a storage unit. The apparatus sets a region of interest, incorporates ultrasonic wave transmission/reception for obtaining an ultrasound image including the region of interest into ultrasonic wave transmission/reception for obtaining an ultrasound image of the region of interest at a predetermined timing, and stores the obtained two ultrasound images in association with each other, which makes the region of interest easier to find in an ultrasound image for diagnosis, and allows a satisfactory follow-up.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe comprises: a transducer array having an ultrasound transmission/reception surface; a housing for containing a transducer array, a transmission/reception board, a wireless communication board and a battery; and a puncture guide fixed to the housing and having a puncture needle insertion port located on a line extending in a direction of arrangement of the transducer array, wherein when the ultrasound transmission/reception surface of the transducer array is in a horizontal posture, the probe has a center of gravity lying between a center of arrangement of the transducer array and the puncture needle insertion port of the puncture guide in the direction of arrangement of the transducer array and, at the same time, being almost in accordance with a centerline of arrangement of the transducer array in a direction orthogonal to the direction of arrangement of the transducer array.