TRANSESOPHAGEAL ULTRASOUND PROBE PROVIDED WITH IMAGING DEVICE POSITION SENSOR IN SCAN HEAD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging unit, with which a more accurate measured value of the position of a transducer in a transesophageal ultrasound probe can be obtained.;SOLUTION: A position sensor preferably includes a code disk having apertures (530) and a system composed of light emitters (524, 528) and photodetectors (514, 518). Since cord disk is rotated synchronously with an imaging device (436), the position of the imaging device (436) can be measured by the pattern of detection of light passed through the apertures (530). Various alternative position sensors like a potentiometer can be used inside a scan head (120) of the probe. Further, the probe is provided with a control handle having an imaging and articulation controllers.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO