EP0010304A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1979-10-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 1999-10-18
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has a probe (42-1 to 42-N) for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave and an amplitude-detecting circuit (50), and in operation transmits an ultrasonic wave into an organism while the organism is scanned by the probe and amplitude-detects a received signal reflected from the inside of the orgasnism, thereby to obtain a tomographic image of the organism. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus further includes a phase detecting circuit (53 to 61) and an ultrasonic drive circuit (30, 32, 34, 36). The ultrasonic drive circuit (30,32,34,36) alternately supplies to the probe (42-1 to 42-N) a first drive signal for obtaining tomographic image information and a second drive signal for obtaining blood flow information, scans in a direction of the ultrasonic wave transmission according to the first drive signal and sets the ultrasonic wave transmitting direction according to the second drive signal to a desired direction for obtaining blood flow information. Thereby, the tomographic image information of the organism and the blood flow information as well are simultaneously obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuhiro Iinuma
- 👤 Kinya Takamizawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:11
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8979; A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/06; A61B8/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave in response to a drive signal inputted thereinto, a drive means for supplying a drive signal to the probe, and means for defecting a receiving signal corresponding to a received ultrasonic wave received by the probe, characterized in that: said ultrasonic probe is provided with a plurality of electro-acoustic converting elements (42-1 to 42-N); said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) alternately supplies to said ultrasonic probe (42-1 to 42-N) a first drive signal to obtain tomographic image information and a second drive signal to obtain blood flow information; and said detecting means includes means (50) which amplitude-detects a receiving signal when said probe (42-1 to 42-N) receives a reflecting ultrasonic wave corresponding to the first drive signal, means (53 to 61) which phase-detects a receiving signal when said probe (42-1 to 42-N) receives a reflecting ultrasonic wave corresponding to the second drive signal; and means (52) for displaying a tomographic Image obtained from said amplitude-detecting means (50).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic wave in response to a drive signal inputted thereinto, a drive means for supplying a drive signal to the probe, and means for defecting a receiving signal corresponding to a received ultrasonic wave received by the probe, characterized in that: said ultrasonic probe is provided with a plurality of electro-acoustic converting elements (42-1 to 42-N); said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) alternately supplies to said ultrasonic probe (42-1 to 42-N) a first drive signal to obtain tomographic image information and a second drive signal to obtain blood flow information; and said detecting means includes means (50) which amplitude-detects a receiving signal when said probe (42-1 to 42-N) receives a reflecting ultrasonic wave corresponding to the first drive signal, means (53 to 61) which phase-detects a receiving signal when said probe (42-1 to 42-N) receives a reflecting ultrasonic wave corresponding to the second drive signal; and means (52) for displaying a tomographic Image obtained from said amplitude-detecting means (50).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) alternately supplies to said probe (42-1 to 42-N) a short -pulse as said first drive signal and a signal with a larger power than that of the short pulse as said second signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) scans in a'direction of the ultrasonic wave transmission for obtaining tomographic information and sets the ultrasonic wave transmitting direction to a desired direction for obtaining blood flow information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) provides the interval between the first drive signal and the immediately succeeding second drive signal longer than the interval .between the second drive signal and the immediately succeeding first drive signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase detecting means includes a zero-cross detector (76-1 to 76-N) for detecting a zero-cross timing of a received signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase detecting means includes a gate circuit (57, 58) to be enabled for a given time when it receives a control signal, and a gate control circuit (64) to supply a control signal to said gate circuit (57, 58) after a given time since said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) begins to supply the second drive signal, whereby said phase detecting means (53 to 61) phase-detects a receiving signal derived from said probe (42-1 to 42-N) through said gate circuit (57, 58).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said phase-detecting means includes a plurality of gate circuits (57-1 to 57-N) to be enabled for a. given time when those gate circuits (57-1 to 57-N) receive a control signal, and a plurality of gate control circuits (64) for supplying control signals to said gate circuits (57-1 to 57-N) after given different times since said drive means (30, 32, 34, 36) begins to supply the second drive signal, whereby said phase detecting means (53 to 61) phase-detects receiving signals derived from said probe (42-1 to 42-N) through said gate circuits (57-1 to 57-N).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said probe is provided with a plurality of electro-acoustic converting elements (42-1 to 42-N) linearly arranged, and said drive means includes a plurality of delav circuits (38-1 to 38-N) connected to said electro-acoustic converting elements (42-1 to 42-N) and a delay control circuit (30) for supplying signals to set delay times to said delay circuits (38-1 to 38-N).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive means includes a memory (82) to which a receiving signal derived from said probe (42-1 to 42-N) is loaded when said drive means generates said second drive signal, and a control circuit (30) for reading out the loaded information from said memory (82) after a given time since said drive means begins to generate the second drive signal, whereby phase-detecting means (90, 92) phase-detects the information read out.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said phase-detecting means further includes a cardiograph (106), and said read-out control circuit reads out the information from said memory in synchronism with an R wave of said cardiograph (106).
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