The present invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging catheter having an open proximal end and a closed distal end. The closed distal end contains a septum and a situs for targeting the septum. A fluid filled syringe may be insertable though the situs and the septum to fill a chamber defined by the catheter sheath and the septum, with ultrasonic transmission fluid. The chamber subsequently receives an ultrasonic image generator and receiver within the fluid filled chamber. Injection of fluid through the septum eliminates the likelihood of air bubbles forming within the chamber which otherwise damages the ultrasonic images generated thereby when that chamber is filled with fluid through the proximal end of the catheter sheath.

Described herein is an ultrasonic internal examination system of the type having a rigid tip portion at the distal end of an ultrasonic probe to be inserted into an intracavitary portion of interest, and an ultrasonic vibratory element accommodated in a cavity formed in the rigid tip portion and filled with an ultrasonic transmissive medium for transmission and reception of signals. The rigid tip portion is formed with a cylindrical shaped outer configuration and internally defines a cavity having a radially concave curved inner wall surface of a predetermined radius of curvature on the inner periphery thereof.

An ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound emitter and a turbine. In one embodiment, the ultrasound emitter is a reflective surface which reflects ultrasound signals generated by a transmitter. The reflective surface reflects the ultrasound signals so that reflected ultrasound signals exit the ultrasound probe. The turbine is connected to the reflecting means. Fluid flowing through the turbine causes the turbine to rotate the reflecting means so that the reflected ultrasound signals sweep an area surrounding the ultrasound probe.

A mechanical type ultrasonic scanner has a housing which includes an insertion hole and a window member. The window member possesses ultrasonic transmission properties. The housing is filled with an acoustic liquid medium. A vibrator and a scanning mechanism are also accommodated in the housing. The vibrator generates ultrasonic waves. The scanning mechanism mechanically moves the vibrator, to scan the ultrasonic waves generated thereby. A rotating shaft is inserted in the housing, through the insertion hole. The rotating shaft transmits the driving force of a motor to a scanning mechanism. A seal member is inserted between the housing and the rotating shaft in the insertion hole. A partition wall is formed in the housing, to partition it into a first liquid medium chamber and an adjacent second liquid medium chamber. The first liquid medium chamber accommodates the vibrator and the scanning mechanism. The partition wall guides bubbles, undesirably inserted into the acoustic liquid medium, from the first liquid medium chamber to the second liquid medium chamber, and prevents the bubbles from returning to the first liquid medium chamber.

The present invention provides a novel method and apparatus which allows concomitant imaging and rapid axial beam translation measurements used to calculate the attenuation characteristics of a target body. The present invention employs an ultrasonic scanner which contains a plurality of matched transducer elements. These elements are staggered on a mechanism which sequentially places each transducer opposite an acoustic window at axially spaced positions along a common axis. The present invention also enables axial beam translation techniques to be adapted to current ultrasonic imaging systems.