Multi-beam diffraction grating imager apparatus and method

摘要

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising a transducer operative for receiving a pulse of energy containing multiple frequencies and generating a plurality of beams at different angles corresponding to a plurality of frequencies toward an object to be imaged; means for focusing said beams to produce an array of focused points at spatial positions on the object; a receiver for receiving reflected signals from the object having frequencies corresponding to the spatial positions and simultaneously filtering the reflected signals to produce sample image data sets corresponding to spatial positions at particular time intervals; and means for producing rotational motion between the transducer and the object to enable generation of sample image data sets at other predetermined spatial positions; and means for summing the sample image data sets at each of the predetermined spatial positions to produce an image of the object.