Ultrasonic transducer assembly and method of scanning

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a transducer unit having an array transducer composed of a plurality of transducer elements for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to effect electronic scanning, and a casing for housing the transducer unit therein. The casing has a contact surface to be brought into contact with an object to be examined when used. In the casing there is disposed a rocking mechanism for rocking the transducer unit angularly about a virtual rotative axis which is determined on an electronic scanning plane produced by the array transducer and located in the vicinity of the contact portion of the casing. The rocking mechanism includes a pair of guide members having arc-shaped guide routes concentrically arranged with the virtual rotative axis as its center, linking members for linking the transducer unit with the guide members in such a way that the transducer unit can be rocked angularly about the virtual rotative axis; and a driving mechanism for reciprocatingly moving the transducer unit along the arc-shaped guide routes through the linking members. In this transducer assembly, a three-dimensional echo data acquiring region of which apex is located on the virtual rotative axis can be produced based on the shift of the electronic scanning plane which is effected by the rocking movement of the transducer unit.