Echographic probe wtih sector scanning using a transducer capable of coming into contact with the structure to be examined
AssigneeQuantel Medical
InventorJean Abascal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The inventive probe comprises a tubular body (1, 2) that accommodates a transducer (11), which emits a focused incident ultrasonic wave toward structures to be examined and which receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by these structures. This transducer (11) is coupled to actuating means (4), comprises a piezoelectric assembly (15) capable of focusing the emitted beams and, adjacent to this assembly, comprises a spherical layer (20) made of a material that ensures a good transmission of the ultrasonic waves.
Claims10
An echographic probe with sector scanning comprising a tubular body at least partly housed in its front end, a transducer configured to emit an incident ultrasonic wave focused towards a structure to be examined and to receive ultrasonic waves generated by the structures under the effect of the incident ultrasonic wave, this transducer being rotatably mounted inside the tubular body around an axis of rotation and being coupled with actuating means so as to be able to perform displacements at least partly in rotation relatively to the tubular body in order to obtain a sector scan of the structure to be examined, wherein the transducer comprises a piezoelectric assembly having power for focusing the ultrasonic waves and adjacent to the piezoelectric assembly, a layer made in a material providing good transmission of ultrasonic waves, this layer having, opposite to said piezoelectric assembly, a convex axisymmetric outer surface, the generatrix of which has a curved shape and the director axis of which corresponds to the axis of rotation of the transducer so as to be able to come into contact with the structure to be examined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.