An ultrasound imaging probe, comprising: a housing having a long axis; an elongate tubular shaft including an internal cavity and first and second end portions (218, 220), the elongate tubular shaft extending along the long axis and is rotatably supported in the housing for rotation relative to the housing through an angular range including one hundred and eighty degrees to a predetermined maximum angle; a transducer array, including a plurality of transducer elements along the long axis, affixed to the first end portion of the elongate tubular shaft; an electrical connector fixedly mounted in the housing; and an physical electrical pathway having first and second ends and extending along and in the internal cavity of the elongate tubular shaft, the first end of the pathway being connected to the transducer array and the second end of the pathway being connected to the electrical connector; wherein the ultrasound imaging probe further comprises a rotation limiting device affixed in the housing, the rotation limiting device configured to allow the elongate tubular shaft to rotate up to only the predetermined maximum angle, thereby protecting the electrical pathway from damage due to control system failure; characterised in that the rotation limiting device comprises a stationary element stationarily affixed in the housing; a first rotating element rotatably coupled to the stationary element to rotate over a first predetermined angular range; and a second rotating element affixed to the elongate tubular shaft and rotatably coupled to the first rotating element to rotate over a second predetermined angular range, the first and second predetermined angular ranges combining to provide the predetermined maximum angle. a housing having a long axis; an elongate tubular shaft including an internal cavity and first and second end portions (218, 220), the elongate tubular shaft extending along the long axis and is rotatably supported in the housing for rotation relative to the housing through an angular range including one hundred and eighty degrees to a predetermined maximum angle; a transducer array, including a plurality of transducer elements along the long axis, affixed to the first end portion of the elongate tubular shaft; an electrical connector fixedly mounted in the housing; and an physical electrical pathway having first and second ends and extending along and in the internal cavity of the elongate tubular shaft, the first end of the pathway being connected to the transducer array and the second end of the pathway being connected to the electrical connector; wherein the ultrasound imaging probe further comprises a rotation limiting device affixed in the housing, the rotation limiting device configured to allow the elongate tubular shaft to rotate up to only the predetermined maximum angle, thereby protecting the electrical pathway from damage due to control system failure; characterised in that the rotation limiting device comprises a stationary element stationarily affixed in the housing; a first rotating element rotatably coupled to the stationary element to rotate over a first predetermined angular range; and a second rotating element affixed to the elongate tubular shaft and rotatably coupled to the first rotating element to rotate over a second predetermined angular range, the first and second predetermined angular ranges combining to provide the predetermined maximum angle.