A handpiece having a set of longitudinally vibrating piezoelectric elements and which may additionally have an electric motor to provide rotational or oscillatory movement to the ultrasound horn. The piezoelectric elements are surrounded by a high temperature plastic sleeve, and the sleeve is filled with high temperature potting material. The potting material seal the piezoelectric elements against moisture without affecting the performance of the piezoelectric elements.

An ultrasound imaging apparatus transmits or receives an ultrasound beam by switching connections between ultrasound probes and a transmitting and receiving system. Channels of the transmitting and receiving system are respectively connected to first and second connectors through first and second N switching elements. Each of the first and second connectors has N connecting terminals. The terminals of the first and second connectors are respectively connected to 2N terminals of a third connector...

Both the linear attenuation coefficient and an index describing the heterogeneity of the scatterers of tissue can be obtained simultaneously by the method and system disclosed herein. The system also produces a B-scan image with optimal time-variable gain compensation. The system combines an envelope peak method with a conventional ultrasound pulse-echo scanner. In this method, the peaks of the echo envelopes in a B-scan are multiplied by a controllable gain function. By adjusting the parameter ...

The equipment in this invention provided with an internal signal checking means configured in a combined use with signal processing and display means commonly furnished to an ultrasound diagnostic equipment stores various internal signals and in said equipment by selectively inputting them through a multiplexer into a video memory also used for receive echo signal storage, and said internal signals stored are displayed on a screen of a display means of said equipment as an image or they are eval...

An adaptation layer for an ultrasound applicator which contains a mixture of synthetic resin and ceramic powder. Through the addition of ceramic powder, the acoustic impedance of the applicator can be easily adjusted. Impedance values selectable in the range of e.g., 6 to 12.times.10.sup.6 kg/m.sup.2 sec are possible.

A distance measuring system comprises first and second transducers, and an ultrasound ranging subsystem coupled to the first and second transducers for performing a plurality of distance measurements between the first and second transducers. The distance measurement system can have various applications, including medical applications, in which case, the first and second transducers can be mounted on a catheter. The distance measuring system further comprises a filter coupled to the ultrasound ra...

The method comprises the phases of: sending a series of excitation ultrasonic signals to a volume being investigated, by means of an array of transducers aligned in a transverse direction (x), said ultrasonic signals propagating in depth in said volume according to a direction of propagation (y); acquiring, by means of said transducers, signals reflected from reflectors located in the volume being investigated; performing on said reflected signals a transform in the transverse direction from a s...

An instrument for measuring ultrasound has a chamber through which sound waves can travel from end to end of the chamber. An acoustic focusing device near one end of the chamber concentrates the sound waves at a focal point near the opposite end of the chamber. A rotary shutter is supported within the chamber in a position to be rotated by passage of the concentrated sound waves. Devices capable of transmitting and receiving a ray of light are arranged on the instrument so that the light ray is ...

A multi-mode scanner head employing split (semicircular transducers) is described. In some modes such as simultaneous B-scan and M-scan each transducer moves independent of the other. For continuous Doppler mode the transducers move together. The relatively small, hand-held scanner head is particularly useful for cardiac examinations.

The apparatus incorporates an ultrasonic wave-generating transducer for providing ultrasonic waves, a first and a second ultrasound window, a first guiding device for guiding the ultrasonic waves to the first window, an ultrasonic receiving transducer for transforming an acoustic image field received from the second window into electrical signals, and a second guiding device for guiding ultrasound transmitted through the second window to the receiving transducer. The ultrasound windows define an...