Ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus

An ultrasound diagnostic imaging apparatus, comprising:

• an ultrasound probe which is driven by a driving signal to output a transmission ultrasound toward a subject and which outputs a received signal obtained by receiving a reflected ultrasound from the subject;
• a transmission unit which applies the driving signal to the ultrasound probe so that a puncture needle searching transmission ultrasound is output from the ultrasound probe, the puncture needle searching transmission ultrasound being a plane-wave;
• a receiving unit which receives a puncture needle searching received signal output from the ultrasound probe, the puncture needle searching received signal being obtained by the reflected ultrasound, which is the puncture needle searching transmission ultrasound reflecting off the subject, being received by the ultrasound probe;
• and
• a puncture needle position detection unit which obtains a puncture needle echo information indicating an angle and a position of the puncture needle inserted in the subject from the puncture needle searching received signal received by the receiving unit.