Ultrasonic endoscope including radial scanning and linear scanning ultrasonic transducers

An ultrasonic endoscope comprising:

• an objective optical system provided at a tip portion of said ultrasonic endoscope;
• a treatment tool insertion channel provided along said ultrasonic endoscope, said treatment tool insertion channel having an exit opening at said tip portion;
• a radial-scanning ultrasonic transducer, provided at said tip portion, for scanning one scanning plane section which lies on a rotational plane about a shaft axis of said tip portion;
• a linear-scanning ultrasonic transducer, provided at said tip portion to be positioned between said exit opening and said radial-scanning ultrasonic transducer, for scanning another scanning plane section which lies on a plane including said shaft axis,
• a processor that converts output signals from both the linear-scanning and radial-scanning transducers into image signals for display,
• wherein said linear-scanning ultrasonic transducer and said radial-scanning ultrasonic transducer are positioned so that said one scanning plane section intersects said another scanning plane section within an optical field of said objective optical system, and
• wherein said treatment tool insertion channel is formed so that the tip of a tubular instrument, inserted into said treatment tool insertion channel, projects outwards from said exit opening to pass an intersection between said one scanning plane section and said another scanning plane section.