PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic inspection apparatus having high inspection accuracy by guiding most of ultrasonic waves, transmitted through a subject who has a nonuniform structure such as a bone and emitted to the various directions, to a reception element.SOLUTION: This ultrasonic inspection apparatus includes: an ultrasonic transmission element 2 disposed at one side of a subject for applying ultrasonic waves to the subject 1 the ultrasonic reception element 3 disposed at the other side of the subject 1 for facing thereto and receiving the transmission waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted through the subject 1 and a receiving circuit 7 comparing the ultrasonic waves irradiated from the transmission element 2 with the transmission waves received by the receipt element 3 and calculating the density of the subject 1. A propagation restriction element 12 is disposed between the subject 1 and the receipt element 3 for restricting the propagation area of the transmission waves to the receipt element 3. The propagation restriction element has at least a pair of reflecting surfaces 12c facing each other for multiplexedly reflecting the ultrasonic waves transmitted through the subject 1 and transmitting them to the ultrasonic receipt element 3.COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT【課題】骨などの不均一構造を持つ被検体を透過して種々の方向に出射する超音波の大部分を受信子に導くことにより、検査精度の高い超音波検査装置を提供する。【解決手段】超音波検査装置は、被検体1に超音波を照射するように被検体の一側に配置される超音波送信子2と、これに対向するように被検体1の他側に配置され、被検体1を透過した超音波の透過波を受信する超音波受信子3と、送信子2から照射された超音波と受信子3が受信した透過波とを比較して被検体1の密度を算出する受信回路7とを具備する。被検体1と受信子3との間には、透過波の受信子3への伝搬領域を制限する伝搬制限素子12が配置される。伝搬制限素子は、被検体1を透過した超音波を多重に反射させて超音波受信子3へ送ることができるように、相互に対向する少なくとも一対の反射表面12cを具備する。【選択図】図2
