Patent ID: 7429244
Filing Date: 2008-09-30
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A blood-vessel-shape measuring apparatus, comprising: a first array including a plurality of first supersonic-wave elements arranged in one direction; a second array including a plurality of second supersonic-wave elements arranged in a direction parallel to said one direction, the apparatus measuring a shape of a blood vessel of a living being, based on echo signals detected by the first and second arrays that are placed on a skin of the living being such that each of the first and second arrays is across the blood vessel located under the skin; a first wall-position calculating means for calculating, based on respective reflection signals detected by the first supersonic-wave elements of the first array, respective positions of respective portions of a wall of the blood vessel that are located right below the first array and correspond to the first supersonic-wave elements; a second wall-position calculating means for calculating, based on respective echo signals detected by the second supersonic-wave elements of the second array, respective positions of respective portions of the wall of the blood vessel that are located right below the second array and correspond to the second supersonic-wave elements; and a blood-vessel-shape calculating means for calculating a shape of the blood vessel on an orthogonal section thereof, based on the respective positions of the respective portions of the wall of the blood vessel that correspond to the first supersonic-wave elements and are calculated by the first wall-position calculating means, and the respective positions of the respective portions of the wall of the blood vessel that correspond to the second supersonic-wave elements and are calculated by the second wall-position calculating means.