PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the image resolution of a tomographic slice image without increasing the number of channels of a transmitter/receiver circuit when a three-dimensional image data is generated using a 1.5D-array ultrasonic probe.SOLUTION: An acoustic wave measurement apparatus comprises: a probe having a plurality of oscillators which can carry out a bidirectional conversion between acoustic waves and electric signals transmitting/receiving means which has a plurality of channels connected to the probe and which causes the probe to generate acoustic waves and obtains received signals of the probe a plurality of switches for switching the connection between the oscillators and the channels and image generation means for generating an image from the received signals. In the acoustic wave measurement apparatus, the oscillators include a central oscillator array and edge oscillator arrays, and each of the plurality of channels alternately connects to an oscillator in the central oscillator array and the edge oscillator arrays via the switches.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】1.5Dアレイの超音波探触子を用いて3次元画像データを生成する際に、送受信回路のチャンネル数を増大させることなく断層スライス像の画像分解能を向上させる。【解決手段】音響波と電気信号とを互いに変換可能な複数の振動素子を有するプローブと、プローブに接続する複数のチャンネルを有し、プローブから音響波を発生させ、かつ、プローブの受信信号を得る送受信手段と、振動素子とチャンネルとの接続を切り換える複数のスイッチと、受信信号から画像を生成する画像生成手段とを備え、振動素子には中央素子列と端部素子列が含まれ、複数のチャンネルの各々は、中央素子列と端部素子列の振動素子にスイッチを介して交互に接続している音響波測定装置を用いる。【選択図】図6
