Patent ID: 8986210
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: G01S,G10K

Abstract:
1. An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising a two-dimensional array which consists of a plurality of transducer elements distributed two-dimensionally and transmits and receives ultrasonic waves while scanning an area to be imaged to create an ultrasound three-dimensional image, wherein the transducer elements are divided into a plurality of element blocks including a first element block of which a size in a second direction of an arrangement surface of the two-dimensional array is larger than a size in a first direction of the surface, and a second element block of which a size in the first direction is larger than a size in the second direction, and each of the element blocks is divided into a predetermined number of groups so as to form a transmit beam and a plurality of receive beams in the area to be imaged, the ultrasound imaging apparatus further comprising a selecting means for making transmit/receive channels of the transducer elements grouped to be one channel in each of the groups.