Puncture adapter for use in ultrasonic diagnosis

An adapter for use in puncture to be attached to a probe which transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave for performing puncture with respect to a target blood vessel under observation on a tomographic image, the adapter comprising:

• a holder for holding the probe;
• and
• a base unit to be disposed on a surface of a subject, the base unit movably supporting the holder,
• wherein
• the base unit includes:
• a seat which is brought in contact with the surface of the subject;
• a guide mechanism for guiding a puncture needle with respect to the target blood vessel in a diagonal direction along the axial direction of the target blood vessel;
• a moving mechanism for movably supporting the holder which holds the probe, such that a beam scan plane generated by the probe intersects a puncture route of the puncture needle and the target blood vessel in each movement position such that a beam scan plane intersects the puncture route and an intersection between the puncture route and the beam scan plane moves along the puncture route;
• and whereby
• the puncture route diagonally penetrates a beam scan plane from the front side to the back side, and when the beam scan plane moves with a move of the holder by the moving mechanism, an intersection between the puncture route and the beam scan plane moves along the puncture route;
• and wherein
• the seat has a pair of leg portions provided with a movement region of the wave transmitting and receiving surface of the probe interposed therebetween;
• and
• the base unit allows the holder to move such that the wave transmitting and receiving surface of the probe is continuously in close contact with the surface of the subject.

An adapter for use in puncture to be attached to a probe which transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave, the adapter comprising:

• a holder for holding the probe;
• and
• a base unit including a guide mechanism for guiding a puncture needle, a seat for contacting a surface of an object and a moving mechanism for movably supporting the holder to move a wave transmitting and receiving region of the probe relative to a puncture route of the puncture needle,
• wherein:
• the seat includes a plurality of rounded projecting leg portions, the plurality of projecting leg portions being provided with a movement region of a wave transmitting and receiving surface of the probe interposed therebetween and being brought in contact with a surface of a subject such that a beam scan plane which is the wave transmitting and receiving region intersects the puncture route and an intersection between the puncture route and the beam scan plane moves along the puncture route;
• and whereby
• the puncture route diagonally penetrates a beam scan plane from the front side to the back side, and when the beam scan plane moves with a move of the holder by the moving mechanism, an intersection between the puncture route and the beam scan plane moves along the puncture route;
• and wherein
• the base unit allows the holder to move such that the wave transmitting and receiving surface of the probe is continuously in close contact with the surface of the subject.