PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic bone evaluation device by which acoustic velocity of ultrasonic wave in an acoustic matching medium is accurately measured.SOLUTION: To each of a front reflecting surface 47a and a back reflecting surface 47b disposed separately at a predetermined distance in the ultrasonic beam direction, an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from an ultrasonic vibrator 34 via the acoustic matching medium and reflection waves from the front reflecting surface 47a and the back reflecting surface 47b are received by the ultrasonic vibrator 34 via the acoustic matching medium. Thus, propagation time of ultrasonic waves between the ultrasonic vibrator 34 and respective reflecting surfaces are calculated. On the basis of the time difference of the propagation time of the ultrasonic wave between the ultrasonic vibrator 34 and respective reflecting surfaces and the predetermined distance from the front reflecting surface 47a to the back reflecting surface 47b, the acoustic velocity of the ultrasonic wave in the acoustic matching medium is calculated, and using the acoustic velocity, the bone evaluation values such as acoustic velocity passing through a living body and an attenuation index are calculated.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】超音波骨評価装置において、音響整合媒体中の超音波の音速を正確に測定する。【解決手段】超音波ビーム方向に所定距離をおいて設けられた前方反射面47a及び後方反射面47bそれぞれに、超音波振動子34から前記音響整合媒体を介して超音波を送波し、前方反射面47a及び後方反射面47bからの反射波を前記音響整合媒体を介して超音波振動子34で受波することによって、超音波振動子34と各反射面との間の超音波の伝搬時間を算出する。超音波振動子34と各反射面との間の超音波の伝搬時間の時間差と前方反射面47aから後方反射面47bまでの所定距離とに基づいて、前記音響整合媒体中の超音波の音速を演算し、当該音速を利用して、生体を通過する音速や減衰指標等の骨の評価値を演算する。【選択図】図6
