Ultrasonic probe having articulated structure and rotatable transducer head

A method of ultrasonic examination of a body part of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an elongated ultrasonic probe, said probe comprising a controllably-articulable section disposed near a distal end thereof, an elongated transducer head comprising an array of individually-excitable transducer elements adapted to be disposed in in a particular position juxtaposed to a body part to be examined, said transducer head being mounted to a distal end of said articulable section of said probe for rotation about its axis of elongation, and first and second control elements for controlling articulation of said articulable section of said probe in at least a first plane, and rotation of said transducer head, respectively, whereby said transducer array may be disposed at substantially any desired orientation with respect to the plane of articulation of said probe, with the axis of elongation of said transducer head lying in said plane of articulation,
• (b) inserting said probe through a portal in the body of said patient, so as to dispose said transducer head in the vicinity of a body part to be ultrasonically examined,
• (c) employing said first and second control elements to independently articulate said probe and rotate said transducer, such that said elements of said array contact the body part to be ultrasonically examined in a predetermined positional relationship thereto,
• (d) applying ultrasonic drive signals to each said transducer element so that each said element transmits a pattern of ultrasonic energy into the body part to be ultrasonically examined,
• (e) employing each said transducer element to detect ultrasonic energy reflected from structures comprised by the body part to be ultrasonically examined,
• (f) transmitting return signals responsive to said detected ultrasonic energy from each said transducer element to means for processing said signals, and
• (g) processing said return signals to produce an image of the body part to be ultrasonically examined.

An ultrasonic probe assembly, comprising:

• an elongated probe, said probe including a controllably-articulable section disposed near the distal end of said probe;
• a generally cylindrical elongated transducer head comprising a transducer excitable to emit ultrasonic energy in a predetermined pattern defining an image plane, adapted to be placed in a stationary position against a body part to be ultrasonically examined;
• said transducer head being mounted to a distal end of said articulable section of said probe by means permitting rotation of said transducer head about its axis of elongation, such that the axes of elongation of said transducer head and of said probe are substantially coaxial when said articulable section is straight;
• first control means at a proximal end of said probe for controlling articulation of said articulable section of said probe in at least one plane of articulation;
• second control means at a proximal end of said probe for controlling rotation of said transducer head about its axis of elongation, such that the relative circumferential position of said image plane with respect to said plane of articulation may be controlled in order to ultrasonically examine structure of interest;
• and
• electrical conductor means extending along the length of said probe for carrying excitation signals and detected signals between said proximal end of said probe and said transducer head.