JP2006025805A - Ultrasonic examination instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To practically constitute a two-dimensional ultrasonic vibrator array just by adding only several cables to a conventionally used ultrasonic examination instrument provided with ultrasonic vibrators arrayed in a line shape. <P>SOLUTION: For the two-dimensional ultrasonic vibrator array 2, the ultrasonic vibrators T are arrayed for 5 columns in a main scanning direction and for n pieces in a sub scanning direction. Electrodes C1-C5 are arrayed for the respective columns in the main scanning direction, n groups of the ultrasonic vibrators T composed of five ultrasonic vibrators T are arrayed in the sub scanning direction, the electrodes G1-Gn are connected to them, and the electrodes C1-C5 and G1-Gn are connected to wiring XW1-XW5 and YW1-YWn, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic inspection apparatus that is provided at the distal end of an insertion portion that is inserted into the body of a subject, such as an ultrasonic endoscope, and inspects the state of a body tissue and the like. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic inspection apparatus in which ultrasonic transducers are arranged and a plurality of adjacent ultrasonic transducers are driven in an electronic scanning manner simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay.

  An ultrasonic examination apparatus is used for examining and diagnosing a body tissue of a subject. The ultrasonic inspection apparatus transmits an ultrasonic pulse from an ultrasonic transducer toward the body, receives the reflected echo, and performs predetermined signal processing, thereby converting the state of the body tissue into an ultrasonic tomographic image. To get. The ultrasonic tomogram covers a predetermined range, and ultrasonic scanning is performed for this purpose. As a method for performing this ultrasonic scanning, a mechanical scanning method and an electronic scanning method are known.

  The electronic scanning ultrasonic inspection apparatus is composed of a large number of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a predetermined direction, and ultrasonic scanning is performed over a predetermined range by sequentially driving each of the ultrasonic transducers. Here, the arrangement direction of the ultrasonic transducers is generally a one-line configuration such as linear or arcuate arrangement, and the ultrasonic transducers are circular. Those configured to be arranged are also conventionally known. Further, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes an ultrasonic transducer that is two-dimensionally arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

As described above, when the ultrasonic transducers are arranged on two XY orthogonal axes, it is possible to acquire three-dimensional ultrasonic image information having the ultrasonic transmission / reception direction as the Z axis. Therefore, there is an advantage that the position, spread, size, etc. of the lesioned part can be accurately grasped, and the accuracy of the ultrasonic examination is extremely high.
JP 7-203592 A

  By the way, if the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array is composed of a large number of ultrasonic transducers, the number of wires increases accordingly, and the cable bundled with the wires becomes thicker. Regardless of whether the ultrasonic inspection is performed from the body surface skin, an ultrasonic inspection is performed by providing an ultrasonic transducer array at the distal end of the insertion portion and inserting the insertion portion into the body cavity of the subject to perform the ultrasonic inspection. In the apparatus, when the diameter of the cable is increased, not only does the insertion portion through which the cable is inserted becomes thicker, but the insertion operability into the body of the subject is deteriorated. The subject undergoing the test is extremely painful. In particular, in the case of configuring as an ultrasonic endoscope incorporating ultrasonic inspection means and endoscopic observation means, in addition to the numerous cables connected to the ultrasonic vibrator described above, Since it is necessary to insert members such as the light guide, signal cable, and treatment instrument insertion channel that constitute the endoscopic observation means, the outer diameter of the insertion portion becomes extremely large and cannot be inserted into the body cavity. It will be.

  In view of the above, in the prior art, it has been recognized that providing a two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array improves the accuracy of ultrasonic examination. Currently, only ultrasonic transducers that are inserted into a line or the like, particularly ultrasonic endoscopes, in which ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a line are practically used.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the object of the present invention is slightly different from an ultrasonic inspection apparatus having ultrasonic transducers arranged in a line shape that has been conventionally used. The purpose is to construct a two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array by simply increasing the number of cables.

  Therefore, as a feature of the present invention, an ultrasonic transducer array in which a predetermined number of ultrasonic transducers are arranged is attached to the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and each ultrasonic transducer constituting the ultrasonic transducer array is individually provided. In particular, an ultrasonic inspection apparatus that performs ultrasonic electronic scanning by driving a plurality of ultrasonic transducers simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay, wherein the ultrasonic transducer array has a predetermined number that are sequentially driven. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers divided into a main scanning direction array constituting a row of ultrasonic transducers and an independent ultrasonic transducer at predetermined intervals in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction array A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array composed of an array in the sub-scanning direction constituting each group is configured, and each ultrasonic wave that forms the same ultrasonic transducer array is formed on one surface of the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array. Multiple main scanning methods common to transducers An electrode and a plurality of sub-scanning direction electrodes common to the ultrasonic transducers constituting the same group on the other surface are connected, and wiring connected to the main scanning direction electrodes is provided in the insertion portion. And a wiring that is connected to each of the sub-scanning direction electrodes.

  Here, the main scanning direction is the scanning direction of the ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic image obtained by operating the ultrasonic transducer array, and is the supersonic wave constituting the ultrasonic transducer group provided in the sub-scanning direction. Ultrasonic images can be acquired for each arrangement interval of the ultrasonic transducers. Therefore, in this ultrasonic inspection apparatus, it is possible to acquire the number of ultrasonic images corresponding to approximately twice the number of ultrasonic transducers provided at different positions in the sub-scanning direction. Further, if all the ultrasonic transducer groups provided in the sub-scanning direction are operated simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay, one ultrasonic image can be obtained. Further, in the sub-scanning direction, the number of ultrasonic images acquired by operating a plurality of ultrasonic transducers simultaneously or with a time difference changes.

  Wiring is drawn from each main scanning direction electrode and each sub scanning direction electrode, but the number of wirings in the sub scanning direction is the same as the number of wirings when the same number of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a line. It becomes. On the other hand, the number of wires from the main scanning direction electrodes is the same as the number of rows of the ultrasonic transducers. Accordingly, the number of wirings is larger than that in the case of arranging in a line, but the number of wires is increased by the number corresponding to the number of columns because the sub-scanning direction is common. Since electronic scanning is performed, for example, a scan controller that can be energized individually or simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay is connected to any one or a plurality of electrodes in the main scanning direction. As a result, it is possible to apply electronic focus and control the transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic pulse.

  The distal end portion of the insertion portion is formed as a distal end hard portion, and an ultrasonic inspection device is provided on the distal end hard portion. In addition to this ultrasonic inspection device, an endoscope observation means is attached to the distal end hard portion. A sonic endoscope can be constructed. When the ultrasonic endoscope is configured as described above, the ultrasonic transducer array and the endoscope observation means are arranged in such a manner that the ultrasonic transducer array is disposed on the distal end side of the distal end hard portion, and at least illumination is performed. It is possible to dispose the endoscope observation means composed of the head and the observation part closer to the proximal end side, or to arrange the ultrasonic transducer array on the proximal end side and the endoscope observation means on the distal end side. Further, the ultrasonic transducers constituting the ultrasonic transducer array can be arranged in the axial direction of the insertion portion, and can also be arranged around the axis. In the case of arranging in the axial direction of the insertion portion, a two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array can be configured by forming a flat surface or a circular arc surface at the distal end hard portion and arranging the ultrasonic transducers on this surface. In this case, in order to reduce the diameter of the insertion portion, the number of ultrasonic transducer arrays is limited, but a certain degree of freedom can be provided in the length direction of the arrays. In addition, the distal end hard portion may be configured such that, for example, an inclined surface is formed on the proximal end side from the mounting portion of the ultrasonic transducer array, and endoscope observation means is provided on the inclined surface. In this case, the field of view of the endoscope observation means is obliquely forward, so-called a perspective endoscope. Moreover, it can also be set as the mounting part of an ultrasonic transducer array using the outer peripheral surface of a front-end | tip hard part. In this case, the ultrasonic transducer arrays are arranged in a sector shape excluding the entire circumference or a part in the circumferential direction. The endoscope observation means can be extended to the distal end surface of the distal end hard portion, and the field of view can be configured as a direct-viewing endoscope facing forward.

  By configuring the present invention as described above, the number of wirings connected to the ultrasonic transducers can be remarkably reduced even though the ultrasonic transducers are two-dimensionally arranged.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the ultrasonic inspection apparatus is configured as an ultrasonic endoscope, and the distal end portion of the insertion portion of the ultrasonic endoscope is shown in FIG. The ultrasonic inspection apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the one incorporated in this ultrasonic endoscope, but is inserted into a body cavity and is used for examining or diagnosing a tissue state in the body from the body epidermis. It can be generally applied as a device.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an insertion portion into a body cavity. A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 is attached to the distal end portion 1a of the insertion portion 1 on the distal end side. An endoscope observation mechanism that is formed on the base end side from the arrangement position 2 and includes an illumination window 3 and an observation window 4 is installed on the slope portion. Further, as shown in the figure, for example, a treatment for deriving a puncture treatment instrument 5 at a position between the ultrasonic observation mechanism comprising the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 and the endoscope observation mechanism. The tool outlet 6 is open.

  The two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 is configured by arranging a large number of ultrasonic transducers T with a predetermined width from the proximal end side toward the distal end side at the distal end portion 1a. In the illustrated example, the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 is arranged in a convex curved shape at the distal end portion 1a, and thus has a structure suitable for performing convex ultrasonic electronic scanning. Note that the arrangement direction of each ultrasonic transducer constituting the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array is not limited to this.

  As described above, the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 is configured by arranging a large number of ultrasonic transducers T. An example of the arrangement of the ultrasonic transducers T is shown in FIG. Although actually arranged in a curved shape, in order to simplify the drawing, it is arranged in a planar shape in FIG. In this figure, when two axes orthogonal to X and Y are set, the arrangement direction of the ultrasonic transducers T in the bending direction is the main scanning direction arrangement (which constitutes the Y axis), and the arrangement in the direction orthogonal to that is the sub-direction. It is a scanning direction arrangement (composing the X axis). Accordingly, in FIG. 2, n ultrasonic transducers T are arranged in the main scanning direction, and n ultrasonic transducer arrays are formed. Here, the ultrasonic transducer array includes, for example, tens to hundreds of ultrasonic transducers T. On the other hand, five ultrasonic transducer groups are formed in the same position in each row in the sub-scanning direction. However, it goes without saying that the number of arrays of these ultrasonic transducers T is not limited to that shown in the figure.

  Here, in each ultrasonic transducer T constituting the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2, a pair of electrodes is connected to the surface side, that is, the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface side and the opposite surface. The connection mechanism of these electrodes is shown in FIG. In the figure, C1 to C5 are electrodes connected to the ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the main scanning direction, and G1 to Gn are electrodes connected to the ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in the main scanning direction, the ultrasonic transducers T are arranged in five rows, but C1 to C5 are arranged in the main scanning direction among the n ultrasonic transducers T constituting the respective rows. The electrodes are common to all, and when viewed from the sub-scanning direction, each is five individual electrodes. G1 to Gn are common to the five ultrasonic transducers T in the same row, but are individual electrodes when viewed from the main scanning direction. These electrodes C1 to C5 and G1 to Gn are each formed of a thin conductive member.

  All the ultrasonic transducers T constituting the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 have the same shape and are fixed to each other by means such as adhesion. Electrodes G1 to Gn are connected to the front surface side of the ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the sub-scanning direction using a conductive adhesive or the like, and electrodes C1 to C5 are similarly conductively bonded to the back surface side. It is connected via an agent or the like. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, after assembling these many ultrasonic transducers T and the electrodes C1 to C5 and G1 to Gn, the acoustic matching layer 10 is attached to the surface on the ultrasonic transmission / reception side, A backing material 11 is mounted on the back side. The acoustic matching layer 10 and the backing material 11 are common to all the ultrasonic transducers T and are not divided.

  In the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 assembled as described above, wirings XW1 to XW5 are drawn out from the electrodes C1 to C5, respectively, and wirings YW1 to YW1 are respectively drawn from the electrodes G1 to Gn. YWn is pulled out. Specifically, the end portions of the electrodes are partially extended from the ultrasonic transducer T, and the extended portions are bent along the end surface of the backing material 11, and wirings are connected to the bent portions. can do. These wires XW1 to XW5 and YW1 to YWn are pulled out from the insertion portion 1 into an operation portion (not shown) and a universal cord, and connected to a connector provided at the tip of the universal cord. Therefore, this connector is detachably connected to the ultrasonic observation apparatus.

  Here, when comparing the conventionally used electronic scanning type two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array arranged in a line with the above-described two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array of the present invention, the ultrasonic vibration in the main scanning direction is compared. If the number of children T is the same, the number of wires from the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array of the prior art and the number of wires from the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array of the present invention are compared. The number of YW1 to YWn is the same, and the number of electrodes in the sub-scanning direction, which is one in the prior art, is five in the present invention. Therefore, comparing the two, the present invention only increases the number of wires as a whole by four, and the cable does not increase in diameter so much that the insertion portion 1 does not have a particularly large diameter. It will be enough to accommodate. In addition, since the wiring is drawn from the electrode from the end side in the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2, the wiring can be easily connected.

  Next, FIG. 5 shows a main configuration of the drive control device for the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2. The drive control device 20 is provided on the ultrasonic observation device side, and a connector provided at the tip of the universal cord on the ultrasonic endoscope side is detachably connected to the drive control device 20. The drive control device 20 includes a scanning position setting unit 21 and a scan controller 22, and the scanning position setting unit 21 and the scan controller 22 are controlled by a control unit 23. When the connector provided at the tip of the universal cord is connected to the ultrasonic observation apparatus, the wirings XW1 to XW5 are connected to the scanning position setting unit 21, and the wirings YW1 to YWn are connected to the respective terminals Ta1 to Ta1 provided on the scan controller 22. Connected to Ta5 and Tb1 to Tbn. Accordingly, the scan controller 22 constitutes a first scan switching unit, and the scan position setting unit 21 constitutes a second scan switching unit.

  The scanning position setting unit 21 is provided with five switches 25, and these switches 25 can be individually or simultaneously turned on to be kept at the ground potential (or a predetermined potential). On the other hand, the scan controller 22 is connected to the transmission / reception circuit 26, and the scan controller 22 inputs drive signals to the ultrasonic transducers T via the wirings YW1 to YWn connected to the terminals Tb1 to Tbn, respectively. The reflected echo signal received by each ultrasonic transducer T is transmitted to the transmission / reception circuit 26. Here, as a matter of course, each of the ultrasonic transducers T connected to the wirings YW1 to YWn can be individually operated, and two or more ultrasonic transducers T are driven simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay. It can also be set to do. By driving the plurality of ultrasonic transducers T with a time delay in this way, it is possible to apply electronic focus and control the transmission / reception direction of the ultrasonic beam.

  By configuring the ultrasonic endoscope as described above, substantially three-dimensional ultrasonic scanning becomes possible as shown in FIG. 2, the first, second, third, fourth and fifth ultrasonic transducer arrays in the main scanning direction are arranged in order from the left side, and the first, second, third,. ... An ultrasonic transducer group in the nth sub-scanning direction. Of the switches 25 constituting the scanning position setting unit 21, the switch 25 connected to the wiring XW1 from the electrode C1 constituting the first main scanning direction ultrasonic transducer array is turned on, and only this wiring XW1 is set. The ground potential is maintained, and the electrodes C2 to C5 constituting the second main direction arrangement are cut off from the ground potential. Therefore, when the scan controller 22 is switched, the 1st to nth ultrasonic transducers T constituting the first ultrasonic transducer array in the main scanning direction are sequentially driven, and the main array in the first column is driven. An ultrasonic image on the scanning plane is obtained.

  That is, even when a drive signal is given to the first group of ultrasonic transducers T consisting of five by the scan controller 22, the electrodes C2 to C5 are held in the OFF state, so that the electrode G1 is connected. Of the five groups of ultrasonic transducers T, only the intersection between the electrode C1 in the main scanning direction and the electrode G1 in the sub-scanning direction, each of which is in the ON state. Accordingly, only the ultrasonic transducers T constituting the first group in the main scanning direction of the first row are operable. At this time, first, a drive pulse is transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer T, and an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted from only one ultrasonic transducer T toward the body. And since it becomes a reception mode after an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted, a reflected echo from the body is received by the ultrasonic transducer T, and this ultrasonic reception signal is transmitted from the reception circuit 28 to the signal processing circuit, After performing predetermined signal processing, it is recorded in the memory.

  When transmission / reception of ultrasonic waves by the ultrasonic transducer T at the left end is completed, the scanning switch group 29 is set so that the ultrasonic transducers T constituting the second group in the same main scanning row are activated. Is switched, the second ultrasonic transducer T in the first ultrasonic transducer column in the main scanning direction is driven, and the reflected echo signal is acquired in the same manner as described above. By repeating this operation, the 1st to nth ultrasonic transducers T in the main scanning direction in the first row are sequentially driven, and an ultrasonic image along this scanning plane is acquired.

  As described above, when the ultrasonic scanning in the main scanning direction of the first row is completed, the wiring XW1 is returned to the OFF state in the switch 25 in the scanning position setting unit 21, and the ultrasonic scanning of the second row is performed. In order to do this, the electrode C2 connected to the wiring XW2 is turned on, and the others are turned off. As a result, the 1st to nth ultrasonic transducers T in the second row in the main scanning direction are sequentially driven, and an ultrasonic image along this scanning plane is acquired. Further, similarly, five ultrasonic images are acquired in the order of the third row, the fourth row, and the fifth row. Of the switches 25 constituting the scanning position setting unit 21, the electrodes C1 and C2 are simultaneously turned on by the switch 25 connected to the wirings XW1 and XW2 constituting the first and second main scanning direction arrangements, and the same as described above. When the scan controller 22 is driven, the boundary between the first row and the second row can be used as an ultrasonic scanning surface. Therefore, by simultaneously driving in the order of the second column and the third column, the third column and the fourth column, the fourth column and the fifth column, the position is further changed in the sub-scanning direction and further 4 As a result, nine ultrasonic images can be obtained, and a maximum of nine ultrasonic images can be acquired.

  In this way, three-dimensional data related to body tissue information is acquired with the X-axis as the sub-scanning direction, the Y-axis as the main scanning direction, and the Z-axis as the ultrasound transmission / reception direction. Therefore, if these data are three-dimensionally processed, a three-dimensional image of this part of the body tissue can be acquired. Further, the lesioned part can be grasped three-dimensionally by sequentially switching and displaying the above-described five ultrasonic images on the monitor. Therefore, the position of the region of interest can be detected from these ultrasonic images, and a predetermined treatment can be performed using the puncture treatment instrument 5, or a tissue can be collected. In this case, based on the plurality of ultrasonic images obtained as described above, the position and direction of the distal end portion 1a of the insertion portion 1 can be controlled so that the optimum puncture position is obtained.

  By the way, at the time of the above-described ultrasonic scanning, the ultrasonic transducers T are individually operated, but the size of each ultrasonic transducer T is small. For this reason, the acquired reflected echo signal becomes extremely weak, and the progress of the ultrasonic wave into the body becomes shallow. Therefore, in order to increase the power of the transmitted ultrasonic wave and acquire a clearer ultrasonic image, all the five rows (or three rows in the center) of the ultrasonic transducers T in the sub-scanning direction are used. Operate simultaneously. For this purpose, the five switches 25 in the scanning position setting unit 21 may be simultaneously turned on, and the scan controller 22 may be controlled to be sequentially driven.

  However, if the five ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the sub-scanning direction are simultaneously operated, the ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the ultrasonic transducers travel substantially in parallel. In general, an acoustic lens is used to improve the resolution in this direction, but the acoustic lens cannot be used to acquire individual ultrasonic images parallel to each other in the main scanning direction. Therefore, the resolution in the sub-scanning direction can be improved by applying electronic focus by driving the five ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the sub-scanning direction with a delay. Further, for example, the electronic focus can be applied by controlling the three ultrasonic transducers T arranged in the sub-scanning direction with a delay. Furthermore, by appropriately setting the delay order and the time difference, the direction of the ultrasonic beam is not a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ultrasonic transducers are arranged, but the ultrasonic wave is transmitted at a predetermined angle with respect to this direction. It can also be controlled. Since this electronic focus and the like are well known in the art, illustration and detailed description are omitted.

  In the above-described embodiments of the invention, the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array has been described as being configured in a convex curve shape in the main scanning direction. It can also be arranged in a shape. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, an endoscope observation mechanism is attached to the distal end portion 100a of the insertion portion 100 so that the visual field is forward. Further, the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 shown in a plan view in FIG. 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole so that its main scanning direction (Y-axis direction) faces the circumferential direction, It arrange | positions around the front-end | tip part 100a. Thereby, the scanning surface by the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 2 has a circular cross section orthogonal to the insertion portion 100, and a plurality of scanning surfaces can be obtained in the sub-scanning direction. In this case, the insertion portion 100 is a so-called direct-view endoscope in which the illumination window 3, the observation window 4, and the treatment instrument outlet 6 are formed on the distal end surface.

In the ultrasonic endoscope as an embodiment of the present invention, it is a configuration explanatory diagram of an ultrasonic inspection apparatus attached to the distal end of the insertion portion. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer | vibrator array which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the connection state of the ultrasonic transducer | vibrator and electrode which comprise the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer | vibrator array in this Embodiment. It is the side view which looked at the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer | vibrator array in this Embodiment from the subscanning direction. 2 is a configuration explanatory diagram of a drive control device for a two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array in the present embodiment. FIG. It is an operation explanatory view showing a scanning mode of the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array in the present embodiment. It is an external view of the front-end | tip part in the insertion part of the ultrasonic endoscope incorporating the two-dimensional ultrasonic wave which shows other embodiment by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,100 Insertion part, 1a, 100a Tip part 2 Two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array 10 Acoustic matching layer 11 Backing material 20 Drive control device 21 Scan position setting part 22 Scan controller 23 Control part 25 Switch 26 Transmission / reception circuits C1-C5 G1 to Gn electrode T ultrasonic transducers XW1 to XW5, YW1 to YWn wiring

Claims (3)

An ultrasonic transducer array in which a predetermined number of ultrasonic transducers are arranged is attached to the distal end portion of the insertion portion, and each ultrasonic transducer constituting the ultrasonic transducer array is individually or a plurality of ultrasonic vibrations In an ultrasonic inspection apparatus that performs ultrasonic electronic scanning by driving a child simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay,
The ultrasonic transducer array includes a main scanning direction array that constitutes a row of a predetermined number of ultrasonic transducers that are sequentially driven, and an ultrasonic vibration that is independent at predetermined intervals in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction array. A two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array comprising a sub-scanning direction array that constitutes a group of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers divided so as to become a child,
On one surface of the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array, a plurality of main scanning direction electrodes common to the respective ultrasonic transducers forming the same ultrasonic transducer array are formed, and the same group is formed on the other surface. A plurality of sub-scanning direction electrodes that are common to each ultrasonic transducer are connected,
An ultrasonic inspection apparatus characterized in that a wiring connected to each of the main scanning direction electrodes and a wiring connected to each of the sub scanning direction electrodes are inserted into the insertion portion. A wiring connected to each main scanning direction electrode is connected to a first scanning switching unit, and a wiring connected to each sub scanning direction electrode is connected to a second scanning switching unit, and these main scanning direction electrodes or 2. The super-structure according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes in the sub-scanning direction can be energized individually or simultaneously or with a predetermined time delay. Sonographic equipment. 3. The ultrasonic endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an endoscope observation means is mounted together with the two-dimensional ultrasonic transducer array at a distal end portion of the insertion portion to constitute an ultrasonic endoscope. Ultrasonic inspection device.

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