Multi-array pencil-sized ultrasound transducer and method of imaging and manufacture

An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:

• a elongated pencil sized housing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a first phased array transducer arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a first image plane and within a first field of view of about 90.degree.;
• and
• a second phased array transducer arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a second image plane and within a second field of view of about 90.degree., said first image plane being coplanar with said second image plane, and said second field of view overlapping said first field of view, resulting in a combined field of view of about 180.degree..

An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:

• two independent imaging stacks each comprising an array of transducer elements, each imaging stack having a corresponding wedge-shaped backing block and defining a predetermined field of view when energized using a trapezoidal sector imaging format;
• and
• two independent conductor strips carrying signal traces for electrical connection to corresponding ones of said transducer elements, each said conductor strip having a front surface and a rear surface, said signal traces being disposed on said front surfaces, and said wedge-shaped backing blocks being disposed on said rear surfaces;
• whereby placing said conductor strips back-to-back positions said wedge-shaped backing blocks side-by-side and produces overlapping fields of view.

An ultrasound transducer module, comprising:

• a housing having a distal end, a proximal end and an axis through the distal end and the proximal end;
• a first transducer array arranged at said distal end for acquiring a diagnostic image forward of said distal end in an imaging plane parallel to or coincident with the axis of the housing;
• a second transducer array arranged at said distal end for acquiring a diagnostic image laterally of said distal end within the same imaging plane;
• a plug member at said proximal end, said plug member being electrically coupled to said first and second transducer arrays and being receivable in a receptacle attached by a cable to an ultrasound system.

An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:

• a elongated pencil sized housing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a first steerable transducer array arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a first image plane and within a first field of view of about 90.degree.;
• and
• a second steerable transducer array arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a second image plane and within a second field of view of about 90.degree., said first image plane being coplanar with said second image plane, and said second field of view overlapping said first field of view, resulting in a combined field of view of about 180.degree.;
• wherein:
• said elongated housing has an axis through the distal end and the proximal end, and said first field of view is centered about a direction line at an angle of about 45.degree. to one side of said axis in said coplanar image planes;
• and
• said second field of view is centered about a direction line at and angle of about 45.degree. to the other side of said axis in said coplanar image planes.

An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:

• an elongated pencil sized housing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• a first transducer array arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a first image plane and within a first field of view of about 90.degree.;
• a second transducer array arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a second image plane and within a second field of view of about 90.degree., said first image plane being coplanar with said second image plane, and said second field of view overlapping said first field of view;
• and
• a third transducer array arranged adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a third image plane and within a third field of view of about 90.degree., said third image plane being coplanar with said first image plane, and said third field of view overlapping said second field of view, resulting in a combined field of view of about 270.degree..

A method of manufacture of an ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• providing a housing having a distal end, a proximal end and an axis through the distal end and the proximal end;
• arranging a first phased array transducer at said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image forward of said distal end in an imaging plane parallel to or coincident with the axis of the housing;
• and
• arranging a second phased array transducer at said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image laterally of said distal end within the same imaging plane.

A method of manufacture of an ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• providing two independent imaging stacks each comprising an array of transducer elements;
• assembling each imaging stack on a corresponding wedge-shaped backing block for defining a predetermined field of view when energized using a trapezoidal sector imaging format;
• providing two independent conductor strips carrying signal traces and electrically connecting said traces to corresponding ones of said transducer elements, each said conductor strip having a front surface and a rear surface, said signal traces being disposed on said front surfaces, and said wedge-shaped backing blocks being disposed on said rear surfaces;
• and
• placing said conductor strips back-to-back to position said wedge-shaped backing blocks side-by-side for producing overlapping fields of view.

A method of manufacture of an ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• providing a elongated pencil sized housing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• arranging a first steerable transducer array adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a first image plane and within a first field of view of about 90.degree.;
• and
• arranging a second steerable transducer array adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a second image plane and within a second field of view of about 90.degree.;
• aligning said first image plane coplanar with said second image plane, and said second field of view overlapping said first field of view, resulting in a combined field of view of about 180.degree..

A method of manufacture of an ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• providing an elongated pencil sized housing having a distal end and a proximal end;
• arranging a first transducer array adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a first image plane and within a first field of view of about 90.degree.;
• arranging a second transducer array adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a second image plane and within a second field of view of about 90.degree.;
• aligning said first image plane coplanar with said second image plane, and said second field of view overlapping said first field of view;
• arranging a third transducer array adjacent said distal end for acquiring an ultrasound image in a third image plane and within a third field of view of about 90.degree.;
• aligning said third image plane coplanar with said first image plane, and said third field of view overlapping said second field of view, resulting in a combined field of view of about 270.degree..