ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS
First Claim
1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasound probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves into a subject and receive ultrasonic echoes generated by reflection of the ultrasonic waves from the subject, the ultrasound probe including a signal processor for processing reception signals based on the ultrasonic echoes and a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature at a predetermined position; and
a diagnostic apparatus body configured to generate ultrasound images in accordance with the reception signals processed in the signal processor of said ultrasound probe,wherein said ultrasound probe is configured to perform a plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and in mutually different directions of ultrasound transmission and reception and said diagnostic apparatus body is configured to combine ultrasound images based on each of the plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and reception, andwherein, upon production of the composite ultrasound image in said diagnostic apparatus body, said ultrasound probe is configured to change ultrasound transmission and reception for producing said composite ultrasound image in accordance with a temperature measurement result obtained with said temperature sensor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The ultrasound probe transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in different directions and the diagnostic apparatus body combines a plurality of images captured in the different directions of transmission and reception to produce an ultrasound image. In this process, the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus measures the temperature of the ultrasound probe to change the ultrasound transmission and reception for producing a composite ultrasound image or makes the directions of transmission and reception in the last ultrasound image in one composite ultrasound image coincide with those in the first ultrasound image in its temporally adjacent composite ultrasound image. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus thus enables consistent ultrasound diagnosis against heat generated in the integrated circuit board of the ultrasound probe while simplifying the control of the ultrasound transmission and reception.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves into a subject and receive ultrasonic echoes generated by reflection of the ultrasonic waves from the subject, the ultrasound probe including a signal processor for processing reception signals based on the ultrasonic echoes and a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature at a predetermined position; and a diagnostic apparatus body configured to generate ultrasound images in accordance with the reception signals processed in the signal processor of said ultrasound probe, wherein said ultrasound probe is configured to perform a plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and in mutually different directions of ultrasound transmission and reception and said diagnostic apparatus body is configured to combine ultrasound images based on each of the plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and reception, and wherein, upon production of the composite ultrasound image in said diagnostic apparatus body, said ultrasound probe is configured to change ultrasound transmission and reception for producing said composite ultrasound image in accordance with a temperature measurement result obtained with said temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasound probe configured to transmit ultrasonic waves into a subject and receive ultrasonic echoes generated by reflection of the ultrasonic waves from the subject; and a diagnostic apparatus body configured to generate ultrasound images in accordance with the reception signals processed in the signal processor of said ultrasound probe, wherein said ultrasound probe is configured to perform a plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and in mutually different directions of ultrasound transmission and reception and said diagnostic apparatus body is configured to combine ultrasound images based on each of the plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and reception, and wherein said ultrasound probe configured to perform said plurality of types of ultrasound transmission and reception so as to transmit and receive the ultrasonic waves in identical directions in a last ultrasound image of one composite ultrasound image and a first ultrasound image of its temporally adjacent composite ultrasound image. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification