APPARATUS FOR ULTRASONIC EXAMINATION OF DEFORMABLE OBJECTS

摘要

Apparatus to support a deformable object (10) for ultrasonic examination comprises an ultrasonically transparent plate (12) upon which the objet (10) can be supported, with an ultrasonic transducer (11) positioned below, but close to, the plate (12). The transducer (11) can be a single transducer, mounted to move parallel to the plate in substantially orthogonal directions, or it may be a linear array or a plurality of sector scanning transducers. Side plates (21), extending above the support plate (12), may be included to compress the object (10) laterally. One or each side plate (21) may be provided with a transducer (22) for lateral ultrasonic examination of the object (10). The support plate (12) may be shaped so that its surface is part of a cylindrical surface. A typical deformable object (10) is the female human breast. With the present invention, ultrasonic examination of the human breast can be made to directly complement its X-ray or xeromammographic image.