PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an acoustic wave probe that eliminates the need for the movement of an acoustic wave sensor and the reattachment of an acoustic wave sensor as much as possible even when the shape or the size of a subject has changed.SOLUTION: An acoustic wave probe 1 includes an acoustic wave transducer, a contact member 3 that contacts a subject to be measured, and a support member 2 for supporting the acoustic wave transducer and the contact member. The contact member 3 can hold a medium that propagates an acoustic wave between the subject and the acoustic wave transducer inside, and can change a degree of contact between the subject and the contact member by supplying the medium inside the contact member to expand the contact member, or by discharging the medium from inside the contact member to contract the contact member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】被検体の形状や大きさが変わっても音響波センサの移動や音響波センサの貼り直しを極力不要にする音響波プローブを提供すること。【解決手段】音響波トランスデューサと、測定対象となる被検体に接触する接触部材3と、音響波トランスデューサと接触部材とを支持する支持部材2と、を備えた音響波プローブ1であって、接触部材3は、その内部に音響波を被検体と音響波トランスデューサとの間で伝播させる媒質を保持可能であり、接触部材内に媒質を供給し接触部材を膨張させることで、あるいは接触部材内より媒質を排出し接触部材を収縮させることで、被検体と接触部材との接触の度合いを可変とした音響波プローブ。【選択図】図1
