PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus obtaining a high-quality ultrasonic image even while suppressing a rise of an internal temperature of an ultrasonic probe.SOLUTION: A camera 27 is disposed near a display part 18 and images an operator S. When a recognition part 28 recognizes the face of the operator S from a photographed video, the recognition part outputs a recognition signal. When the recognition signal is outputted to a control part from the recognition part 28, the control part controls a transmission drive part 7 and a reception signal processing part 4 such that transmission/reception of an ultrasonic beam is operated in a normal mode and that the ultrasonic image of a prescribed measurement depth and resolution is generated. When the recognition signal is not outputted to the control part from the recognition part 28 for a prescribed time or above, the control part controls the transmission drive part 7 and the reception signal processing part 4 such that the transmission/reception of the ultrasonic beam is operated in a temperature rise suppression mode, and that the ultrasonic image wherein at least one of the measurement depth and the resolution is smaller than that in the normal mode is generated.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】超音波プローブの内部温度の上昇を抑制しながらも高画質の超音波画像を得ることができる超音波診断装置を提供する。【解決手段】カメラ27が表示部18の近傍に配置されて操作者Sを撮影し、撮影された映像から認識部28が操作者Sの顔を認識すると認識信号を出力し、制御部に認識部28から認識信号が出力されている場合に超音波ビームの送受信を通常モードで動作して所定の測定深度および分解能の超音波画像が生成されるように送信駆動部7および受信信号処理部4を制御し、制御部に認識部28から所定時間以上認識信号が出力されなくなると超音波ビームの送受信を温度上昇抑制モードで動作して通常モードより測定深度および分解能のうち少なくとも一方の低下した超音波画像が生成されるように送信駆動部7および受信信号処理部4を制御する。【選択図】図1
