II New Patents

The invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging system for diagnostic use or non-destructive testing. The system comprises a first array of ul- trasonic transducers coupled to the object space wherein objects under examination are located or distributed; a second array of ultrasonic trans- ducers coupled to a reconstitution space wherein the acoustic images of the objects are to be replicated; and time inversion means. The time inversion means has a set of waveform memories which first captures the ultrasonic signals from said objects, typically echos produced in response to suitable excitation, via said first ar- ray of ultrasonic transducers with suitable am- plification and preconditioning as necessary. Then readouts of these signals are provided in- versely in time which drive the second array of ultrasonic transducers with said time inverted signals to reproject inversely propagating ul- trasonic wavetrains forming replicated acoustic images of the objects. By optically monitoring the ultrasonic energy distribution in said reconstitution space, via an opto-acoustic inter- action effect, the system enables the observation of the object images in real time on each com- plete acquisition of said ultrasonic signal set at the first array of transducers, i.e. one complete picture per each echo sounding, which means in case of a medical diagnostic system of up to several thousand pictures per second.

4466442

CARRIER LIQUID SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS MICROBUBBLES, PREPARATION

THEREOF, AND USE THEREOF AS CONTRAST MEDIUM FOR ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTICS

Juergen Hilmann, Rolf-Ruediger Hoffmann, Wolfgang Muetzel, Ingfried Zimmermann, Ber- lin, Federal Republic Of Germany assigned to Schering Aktiengesellschaft

The useful lifetime and the amount of micro- bubbles of a size less than 50 mum produced by mechanical agitation of an aqueous liquid em- ployed as an ultrasonic contrast medium are in- creased by employing a liquid containing dissolved therein a tenside which reduces the sur- face tension of the liquid and a compound which raises the viscosity of the liquid.

4463763

ULTRASONIC COMPOUND SCANNING DIAGNOSTIC

APPARATUS

Akira Koyano, Seiichir Mizuno, Mitaka, Japan assigned to Aloka Co Ltd

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a compound scanner, a transmitting and receiving control circuit, a digital scanning convertor, a display section, a mode change-over switch, a position signal generator and a heart beat syn- chronizing signal generator, whereby operation of the change-over switch makes it possible to display dynamic picture images or still picture images at selected time phases by real-time sector scanning and compound sector scanning.

4466443

ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR EXAMINATION

OF A COELIAC CAVITY

Mikio Utsugi, Tokyo, Japan assigned to Olym- pus Optical Co Ltd

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for examina- tion ofa coeliac cavity, wherein a chamber sealed from the outside is provided near the distal end portion of an insertion section. An ultrasonic scanning motor provided with an ultrasonic transducer is held in the sealed chamber. This ul- trasonic scanning rotor is rotated by a force sup- plied from a drive power source in an operation section through the rotation torque-transmitting member. A drive passage through which the rotation torque-transmitting member extends communicates with the sealed chamber. That portion of the drive passage which is located near the operation section is sealed by a packing. The drive passage and sealed chamber are filled with a liquid ultrasonic-permeable medium.