Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus

Abstract

A phased array ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer with multiple transducer elements disposed along a lateral axis. The transducer has an aperture with an elevation dimension parallel to an elevation axis that increases between the midpoint of the aperture along the lateral axis and the ends of the aperture along the lateral axis. The elevation dimension can increase continuously and/or in steps between the midpoint and each end of the aperture. Portions of the aperture can have a constant elevation dimension. When the transducer is used in an ultrasound imaging system, an active receive aperture dynamically increases in size during reception of ultrasound energy from progressively increasing depths, thereby providing dynamic elevation focusing. The transmit aperture size can be selected to optimize both lateral and elevation focii. Electronic compensation can be used to control the transmit and receive beam patterns.