Shinichi Imade

Medical treatment apparatus utilizing ultrasonic wave

A medical treatment apparatus utilizing ultrasonic waves according to this invention is applied to treatments such as breaking up a stone formed in a living body. The medical treatment apparatus utilizing ultrasonic waves includes a vibration generator (10) for generating ultrasonic vibrations and a vibration transmission member (16) for transmitting the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the vibration generator (10). The vibration transmission member (16) has a front end portion and a proximal end portion which is mounted on the vibration generator (10). The medical treatment apparatus further includes a cover member (20) for surrounding the outer surface of the vibration transmission member (16) and an exposing member (21) for exposing the distal end portion of the vibration transmission member (16) outside the cover member (20). When the vibration transmission member (16) is inserted into an endoscope channel and a body cavity, the distal end of vibration transmission member (16) does not damage them since the distal end is sealed with the cover (20).

Acoustic lens system

An acoustic lens system is constructed so that at least one surface of acoustic lenses constituting the acoustic lens system is an aspherical surface, which has such a shape that curvature moderates progressively in separating from the axis of the acoustic lens system, and an acoustic beam stop is provided therein. As a result, aberrations can be favorably corrected even when the angle of view and the numerical aperture are increased and this brings about the acoustic lens system suitable for an objective lens of an acoustic system for securing an image of an object having a two-dimensional size in particular.

Pulse compression apparatus for ultrasonic image processing

A pulse compression apparatus comprises a quadrature detector for converting an echo signal obtained by an ultrasonic transducer into a complex signal, a reference wave oscillator for producing a reference wave signal, and a correlation circuit for deriving a correlation between the complex signal and the reference wave signal to compress the echo signal.