PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnosis device for accurately measuring the thickness change amount and elastic modulus of body tissue by using a simple operational circuit in consideration of the side blur of a vascular wall.SOLUTION: The ultrasonic diagnosis device for measuring a subject including the vascular wall of an arterial blood vessel using a probe 11 wherein a plurality of vibrators 11a are movable in a direction vertical to an array direction comprises: a transmission part 13 for transmitting first and second transmission waves a probe control part 25 for controlling the position of the vibrators in the direction vertical to the array direction a reception part 12 for respectively generating first and second reception signals a measurement position determination part 18 for controlling the probe control part, measuring the strength of the first reception signal while changing the position of the vibrator for each cardiac cycle, estimating the position change of the axis of the arterial blood vessel in one cardiac cycle on the basis of the strength, and controlling the probe control part to match with the position and an operation part 16 for calculating the shape value of the subject on the basis of the second reception signal for which the position of the vibrator is changed so as to match with the position.COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT【課題】血管壁の横ぶれを考慮し、生体組織の厚さ変化量や弾性率を簡単な演算回路を用いて正確に測定する超音波診断装置を提供する。【解決手段】配列方向に対して垂直な方向に複数の振動子11aが移動可能な探触子11を用い、動脈血管の血管壁を含む被検体の測定を行う超音波診断装置であって、第1および第2の送信波を送信する送信部13と、配列方向に対して垂直な方向における振動子の位置を制御する探触子制御部25と、第1および第2の受信信号をそれぞれ生成する受信部12と、探触子制御部を制御し、一心周期ごとに振動子の位置を変化させながら第1の受信信号の強度を測定し、強度に基づき、一心周期中の動脈血管の軸の位置変化を推定し、その位置と一致するように探触子制御部を制御する測定位置決定部18と、推定した位置変化と一致するように振動子の位置を変化させた第2の受信信号に基づいて被検体の形状値を算出する演算部16とを備える。【選択図】図1
