PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic probe for satisfying electric safety with respect to a human body, reducing a load on a patient, and obtaining high scanning precision, and to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and an ultrasonic diagnostic method.SOLUTION: The ultrasonic probe 2 includes: a hollow needle body (first cylindrical part) where the distal end is formed in a needle shape a tube part (second cylindrical part) which is interpolated, so as to be projectable/retractable in the direction of the center axis C of the needle body with respect to the distal end of the needle body an ultrasonic conversion part for alternately converting an electric signal and ultrasonic wave a rod (a transmission part) 15 which is formed to be elongated, inserted into the tube part, and irradiated with the ultrasonic wave transmitted in the direction of the center axis C from the distal end surface arranged close to the distal end of the tube part a vibration source 16 for vibrating the rod 15 in at least one axial direction to be orthogonally crossed with the center axis C of the rod 15, independently from the ultrasonic wave, with respect to the tube part and a support part 17 for turnably supporting the rod 15 to the tube part at the node N of a wave motion W to be transmitted to the rod 15 by the vibration source 16.COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT【課題】人体に対する電気的安全性を満たすとともに、患者の負担をより軽減でき、高い走査精度を得ることができる超音波プローブ、超音波診断装置及び超音波診断方法を提供すること。【解決手段】超音波プローブ2は、先端が針状に形成された中空状の針体(第一筒部)と、針体の先端に対して針体の中心軸線C方向に出没自在に内挿された管部(第二筒部)と、電気信号と超音波とを交互に変換可能な超音波変換部と、細長に形成されて管部内に挿入され、中心軸線C方向に伝達された超音波が管部の先端近傍に配された先端面から照射されるロッド(伝送部)15と、管部に対し、超音波とは別に少なくともロッド15の中心軸線Cと直交する一つの軸線方向にロッド15を振動させる振動源16と、振動源16によってロッド15に伝達される波動Wの節Nにて、ロッド15を管部に回動自在に支持する支持部17と、を備えている。【選択図】図4
