Transesophageal ultrasonic scanhead

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for providing ultrasonic diagnostic information from the interior of a body comprising:

• a scanhead including:
• probe means for insertion into the body for scanning in one of a plurality of selectable scanning plane orientations in relation to an axis of said scanhead;
• means adapted to be located external to the body during use of the scanhead for manipulating said probe means;
• and
• means for connecting sand scanhead to an operating and control system;
• an operating and control system, including
• means for connecting with said scanhead connecting means;
• display means, responsive to said probe means, for producing an ultrasonic image in a selected scanning plane orientation;
• and
• means responsive to the selection of a given scanning plane orientation for simultaneously displaying on said display means an indication, in relation to a reference scanning plane orientation, of the selected scanning plane orientation and said ultrasonic image;
• and
• means, coupled to said scanhead and said simultaneously displaying means for controlling the selection of said scanning plane orientation and said indication of the selected scanning plane orientation,
• wherein said simultaneously displaying means comprises means for displaying a numerical indication of said selected scanning plane orientation.

An ultrasonic diagnostic system for providing ultrasonic diagnostic information from the interior of a body comprising:

• a scanhead including:
• probe means for insertion into the body for scanning in one of a plurality of selectable scanning plane orientations in relation to an axis of said scanhead;
• means adapted to be located external to the body during use of the scanhead for manipulating said probe means;
• and
• means for connecting said scanhead to an operating and control system;
• an operating and control system, including
• means for connecting with said scanhead connecting means;
• display means, responsive to said probe means, for producing an ultrasonic image in a selected scanning plane orientation;
• and
• means responsive to the selection of a given scanning plane orientation for simultaneously displaying on said display means an indication, in relation to a reference scanning plane orientation, of the selected scanning plane orientation and said ultrasonic image;
• and
• means, coupled to said scanhead and said simultaneously displaying means for controlling the selection of said scanning plane orientation and said indication of the selected scanning plane orientation,
• wherein said simultaneously displaying means comprises means for displaying a graphical and a numerical indication of said selected scanning plane orientation.

An ultrasonic diagnostic scanhead system for providing ultrasonic diagnostic information form the interior of a body comprising:

• probe means for insertion into the body, including transducer means for scanning in one of a plurality of selectable scanning plane orientations in relation to an axis of said probe means;
• means, coupled to said probe means, for manipulating said probe means;
• means for connecting said scanhead to instrument means for processing electrical information signals produced by said transducer means;
• means, coupled to said probe means, for controlling the selection of said scanning plane orientation;
• and
• display means, coupled to said selection controlling means and said probe means, and responsive to the selection of a scanning plane orientation, for simultaneously displaying on a common display an indication of the scanning plane orientation in relation to a reference orientation and an ultrasonic image in said selected scanning plane orientation.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for providing ultrasonic diagnostic information form the interior of a body comprising:

• probe means for insertion into the body, including transducer means for scanning over a plurality of selectable scanning plane orientations in relation to an axis of said probe means;
• means for manipulating said probe means;
• means for connecting said scanhead to instrument means for processing electrical information signals produced by said transducer means;
• and
• means, coupled to said probe means, for controlling the selection of said scanning plane orientation, said controlling means including detent means for preferentially setting said controlling means for selection of a predetermined scanning plane orientation.

An ultrasound diagnostic system for providing ultrasonic diagnostic information from the interior of the body comprising:

• a scanhead including a probe for insertion into the body, said probe generating ultrasound signals responsive to an applied transmit signal and receiving ultrasound signals, and generating receive signals corresponding thereto, said probe generating and receiving ultrasound signals in a direction defined by the angular orientation of said probe;
• an ultrasound system operatively connected to said scanhead, said ultrasound system applying said transmit signals to said probe, receiving said receive signals from said probe, and displaying said ultrasonic diagnostic information;
• probe orientation control means coupled to said probe for altering the angular orientation of said probe responsive to a probe control signal, thereby altering the direction that said probe transmits and receives ultrasound signals;
• and,
• a manually actuatable selector operatively connected to said probe orientation control means, said selector generating said probe control signal to cause said probe orientation control means to alter the angular orientation of said probe:
• and,
• a probe orientation display responsive to said probe orientation means, said display providing a visual indication of the angular orientation of said probe.