PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a short-axis mechanical scan probe easily abutting on a projected part of the living body with preferable lateral resolution.SOLUTION: In the ultrasonic probe of a short-axis scan type, a plurality of piezoelectric elements 2a in strips are arranged in the long-axis direction as the width direction of the piezoelectric elements 2a to form a flat piezoelectric element group 2, and the piezoelectric element group 2 is housed in a sealed container 3 filled with fluid 9 as ultrasonic wave medium, so that the piezoelectric element group 2 is mechanically scanned in the short-axis direction as the length direction of the piezoelectric elements 2a. The piezoelectric element group 2 is moved straight in the short-axis direction for mechanical scan.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】生体の突出部に当接し易く、方位分解能を良好とした短軸機械走査探触子を提供する。【解決手段】短冊状とした複数の圧電素子2aを前記圧電素子2aの幅方向となる長軸方向に並べて平坦状の圧電素子群2を形成し、前記圧電素子群2を超音波媒質としての液体9が充填された密閉容器3内に収容し、前記圧電素子群2を前記圧電素子2aの長さ方向となる短軸方向に機械的に走査した短軸走査型の超音波探触子において、前記圧電素子群2を短軸方向に直線上に移動して機械的に走査した構成とする。【選択図】図1
