Patent ID: 6783494
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: A61B,G01H,G01S

Abstract:
An ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus comprising:an ultrasonic probe including at least one ultrasonic transmitting element for transmitting ultrasonic waves in accordance with a drive signal, and an ultrasonic detecting element having a reception plane surrounding said at least one transmitting element and capable of receiving ultrasonic waves and an ultrasonic sensing portion which is expanded and contracted by ultrasonic waves received at respective positions of said reception plane to change optical reflectances at corresponding positions of said ultrasonic sensing portion in accordance with expansion and contraction thereby modulating light on the basis of ultrasonic waves received at the respective positions of said reception plane; a drive signal generating circuit for generating a drive signal to be applied to said at least one ultrasonic transmitting element; a photodetector having a plurality of pixels, for detecting light output from corresponding positions of said ultrasonic detecting element to output detection signals; signal processing means for receiving detection signals output from said photodetector to process the received detection signals; control means for controlling both generation timing of said drive signals and reception timing of said detection signals; image processing means for constructing an image signal on the basis of an output signal of said signal processing means; and an image display unit for displaying thereon an image on the basis of said image signal.