Patent ID: 6155979
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: A61B,B06B,G01N

Abstract:
An ultrasonic transducer assembly for an image producing ultrasonic system comprising a carrier body for being rotated or pivoted about an axis of rotation defining an axial direction, said carrier body having at least a first and a second group of transducer elements for scanning a structure by emission and reception of ultrasonic signals, said first and second group of transducer elements being displaced with respect to a circumferential direction of the carrier body, the transducer elements within each of said first and said second group being located on the carrier body at different positions with respect to the axial direction such that upon rotating or pivoting the carrier body the first group of transducer elements scans a first set of planes of a structure and the second group of transducer elements scans a second set of planes of the structure, with the planes of the second set lying between the planes of the first set.