CPC A61B 8/4281 (2013.01) [A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61N 7/00 (2013.01); B06B 3/00 (2013.01); G01S 7/52077 (2013.01); G01S 7/52079 (2013.01); G01S 15/8915 (2013.01); G10K 11/26 (2013.01); A61N 2007/0078 (2013.01)] | 30 Claims |
1. A phased array ultrasound transducer comprising:
an array of ultrasound transducer elements configured for emitting a phased-array ultrasound beam therefrom, wherein each ultrasound transducer element has an associated ultrasound emission wavelength in soft tissue, wherein a lateral extent of each transducer element is larger than half of the ultrasound wavelength in soft tissue; and
a coupling layer contacting said array of ultrasound transducer elements, said coupling layer having a speed of sound greater than a speed of sound of soft tissue and a thickness sufficient for generation of a wavefront therein, thereby reducing or suppressing generation of grating lobes;
wherein the thickness of said coupling layer exceeds an ultrasound wavelength in said coupling layer.
|