Ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Abstract

An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for obtaining a tomogram image of an object to be diagnosed on a monitor includes electroacoustic transducers, a phasing unit, a phase detection unit, and an adding unit. The electroacoustic transducers are positioned in aligned relationship along a surface of the object, emit ultrasonic waves which penetrate the object, detect the ultrasonic waves reflected from the object and convert the reflected and detected waves to electrical detection signals. A phasing unit is connected to the electroacoustic transducers and receives the detection signals, delays them in accordance with delay amounts previously set therein and determined in accordance with the respective distances between the electroacoustic transducers and the object, and phase adjusts same to produce phase-matched detection signals. A phase detection unit is connected to the electroacoustic transducers and the phasing unit for detecting the phase errors contained in the detection signals output by the electroacoustic transducers or the phase-matched detection signals output by the phasing unit, and corrects the delay amount previously set in the phase unit in accordance with the phase error. The phase detection unit further comprises first and second binary units for binarizing the detection signals to detect the phase error contained in the detection signals. An adding unit connected to the phasing unit accumulates the phase-matched detection signals.