PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of polarization processing without increasing costs or affecting image quality of an ultrasonic image by using an existing circuit, and an operation method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.SOLUTION: In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and an operation method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the current invention, a control circuit performs polarization processing of a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators during a non-ultrasonic diagnostic period that no transmission of ultrasonic waves or reception of reflection waves for performing ultrasonic diagnosis is performed in the case that an accumulated drive time of the plurality of ultrasonic vibrators for performing ultrasonic diagnosis reaches a specified time or beyond. A transmission circuit generates a first transmission signal having drive voltage for performing the ultrasonic diagnosis by using a pulse generating circuit when performing the ultrasonic diagnosis, and generates a second transmission signal having voltage for polarization for performing the polarization processing by using the same pulse generating circuit as the case of generating the first transmission signal when performing the polarization processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4COPYRIGHT: (C)2020,JPO&INPIT【課題】既存の回路を用いて、コストアップを招くことなく、かつ超音波画像の画質に影響を及ぼすことなく、分極処理を行うことができる超音波診断装置および超音波診断装置の作動方法を提供する。【解決手段】本発明の超音波診断装置および超音波診断装置の作動方法においては、制御回路が、超音波診断を行うための複数の超音波振動子の累積駆動時間が規定時間以上となった場合に、超音波診断を行うための超音波の送信および反射波の受信が行われていない非診断期間内において、複数の超音波振動子に対して分極処理を行う。送信回路は、超音波診断を行う場合に、パルス発生回路を用いて、超音波診断を行うための駆動電圧を有する第１の送信信号を生成し、分極処理を行う場合に、第１の送信信号を生成する場合と同じパルス発生回路を用いて、分極処理を行うための分極用電圧を有する第２の送信信号を生成する。【選択図】 図４
