| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve highly accurate examination, while reducing the frequency of transmissions and receptions, by an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for processing a three-dimensional image. SOLUTION: The wave transmitter/receiver 10 is a sparse-array type ultrasonic probe. A thick transmission beam 12 whose cross-section is flat is formed and plural thin receiving beams 14 overlapping with the transmission beam re formed. The transmission beam 12 is luster-scanned in the direction of the array of the receiving beam array 50, so that the echo data are taken in the three-dimensional space. Since the transmission beam 12 is flat, the energy of ultrasonic waves can be concentrated. And as a one-dimensional receiving beam array can be formed by each transmission, the received signal process suitable for the existing B-mode image processing is possible. Oval transmission element area and receiving element area are set on the wave transmitting/ receiving surface of the wave transmitter/receiver 10. |
