PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a high resolution in both of a close distance and a long distance.SOLUTION: This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus S includes: a piezoelectric section having a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a signal processing section 14 executing a prescribed signal processing to a received signal, or an electric signal generated by converting an ultrasonic signal from a subject by the piezoelectric section. A driver zone capable of forming ultrasonic beams can form ultrasonic beams of a first transmission mode which are formed when all the piezoelectric elements in the driver zone transmit ultrasonic signals of same phase, and ultrasonic beams of a second transmission mode which are formed when adjoining regions in the plurality of regions of the driver zone transmit ultrasonic signals of mutually inverted phases, and the signal processing section processes the received signals with respect to the ultrasonic beams of the first transmission mode and the second transmission mode by differential processing.COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT【課題】近距離および遠距離のいずれにおいても高い分解能を有する超音波診断装置を提供する。【解決手段】超音波診断装置Sは、複数の圧電素子を備えた圧電部と、被検体からの超音波信号を圧電部で変換して生成された、電気信号である受信信号に所定の信号処理を施す信号処理部14とを備え、超音波ビームを形成できる駆動領域は、駆動領域のすべての圧電素子が同位相の超音波信号を送信することで形成される第1送信モードの超音波ビームと、駆動領域の複数の領域において隣接する領域が互いに位相が反転した超音波信号を送信することで形成される第2送信モードの超音波ビームとを形成でき、信号処理部は、第1送信モードおよび第2送信モードの超音波ビームに対する受信信号を差分処理する。【選択図】図2
