PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an acoustic wave probe that can prohibit an acoustic wave transmitting part from coming in contact with an acoustic wave conversion element while keeping improved transmittance of acoustic waves.SOLUTION: The acoustic wave probe to be used includes: the acoustic wave conversion element which receives acoustic waves and converts them to electric signals a liquid-tightly sealed protecting means which contains the acoustic wave conversion element, a portion of the protecting means being an acoustic wave transmitting part having higher acoustic wave transmittance than the other portion a detecting means which detects a flexure amount denoting a degree of deformation of the protecting means and a notifying means which reports whether or not the flexure amount detected by the detecting means is larger than a predetermined value.COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT【課題】音響波の透過性を良好にしつつ、音響波透過部と音響波変換素子の接触を抑制可能な音響波探触子を提供する。【解決手段】音響波を受信して電気信号に変換する音響波変換素子と、前記音響波変換素子を格納し、液密に封止された保護手段であって、当該保護手段の一部分は他の部分よりも音響波の透過性が高い音響波透過部である保護手段と、前記保護手段の変形の程度を表わす撓み量を検出する検出手段と、前記検出手段が検出した撓み量が所定の値よりも大きいか否かを通知する通知手段とを備える音響波探触子を用いる。【選択図】図3
