Apparatus for ultrasonically imaging a body

摘要

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus for ultrasonically investigating a section or slice of a body by transmitting ultrasonic energy into the body and determining the characteristics of the ultrasonic energy reflected therefrom. A transducer is coupled to an energizing means and generates a beam of ultrasonic energy. The beam is focused and scanned across the body being investigated along the plane of the slice of the body to be imaged. A feature of the present invention is that the ultrasound-generating transducer has a generally elliptical shape elongated along the direction of the scan. The result is a scanned focused spot which is elongated in a direction normal to the direction of scan. The thickness of the investigated "slice" is therefore substantially larger (preferably at least twice as large) as a resolution element in the direction of scan.