Towards an integrated hand-held multi-element array transducer for ultrasound imaging

Conventional multi-element ultrasound transducer arrays for linear or phased array B-scanning are connected by long multi-wire cables to the system´s electronics and display unit. This can cause numerous problems including interference and reflections along the cables. The net effect of these is to make the system signal-to-noise ratio poorer. These effects are magnified if the system is designed to operate at higher than conventional ultrasound frequencies (e.g. 20 MHz). This paper describes progress that has been made towards integrating the transmit and receive circuitry associated with either linear or phased array scanning into the hand-held case of the transducer. The number of wires required to connect the transducer back to the display system is reduced dramatically and the path length between transducer elements and the pulser and receiver circuits may be kept to a few millimetres