Patent ID: 8021305

Claim:
An ultrasound probe adapted to be inserted into body tissue for transmitting ultrasonic waves, said ultrasound probe comprising: a hollow outer frame having (i) a needle portion at a distal end region and (ii) an extended portion at the other end region opposite to the distal end region, said needle portion being adapted to be inserted into the body tissue, an ultrasound transducer placed in a bore of said outer frame at said extended portion; an acoustic waveguide located in the bore of said outer frame, said acoustic waveguide being movable in an axial direction of the probe and configured to transmit said ultrasonic wave; and an ultrasound beam deflection device placed in the bore of said outer frame at said needle portion for directing the ultrasonic wave transmitted from said acoustic waveguide to said tissue under examination, wherein the acoustic waveguide has a distal portion with a diameter gradually increasing toward a distal tip end of the distal portion; the ultrasound beam deflection device comprises a first mirror (i) having a surface of a part of a paraboloid centered in the axial direction, (ii) placed around the acoustic waveguide so as to envelop the distal portion thereof, and (iii) facing to the distal end region of the needle portion; and a second mirror with a plane or curved surface that reflects the ultrasonic wave that has been reflected by the first mirror toward said tissue under examination.