Probe for ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Abstract

An ultrasonic probe for receiving therethrough a puncturing cannula, the probe comprising a support member having at least one substantially planar surface and including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in at least one row of the one planar surface, a pyramid-shaped space formed in the member, the space having a V-shaped cross section, the apex of the V comprising a first slot between converging walls of the space and lying substantially at the center of the row of transducer elements, the space opening through a wall of the support member substantially perpendicular to the one planar surface; and an auxiliary member substantially complementary in shape to the space and having a pair of tapering walls conforming to the converging walls, the inner edges of the tapering walls forming a second slot lying substantially in the plane of the planar surface and overlying the edges of the converging walls forming the first slot, the side edges of the tapering walls conforming on one side to the opening of the space in the perpendicular wall and terminating on the other side in a back wall perpendicular to the tapering walls, the auxiliary member including a pair of opposing partitions parallel to the back wall and spaced therefrom a predetermined distance, and the faces of the opposing partitions forming a uniform gap of substantially the width of said predetermined distance, said gap opening into said second slot and said predetermined distance being greater than the diameter of the cannula.