Importance

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Abstract

In the present invention, an attachment which is attached to an ultrasound probe for clinical application is as follows. When the attachment is brought into contact with a skin surface of a body, the ultrasound probe radiates ultrasound beams toward the body which is scanned with ultrasound beams in a first plane. The attachment comprises a reservoir section for holding an acoustic medium, an attachment section for attaching the attachment to the ultrasound probe, and a contact membrane arranged opposite to the attachment section to be brought into contact with the skin surface. The dimension of the contact membrane is smaller than that of the attachment section when the reservoir section is cut at a plane perpendicular to the first plane. The reservoir section is formed without causing the reservoir section to shield the ultrasound beams which are converged by the convergence means. Thus, when an operator moves the ultrasound probe, the frictional force between the contact membrane and the skin surface is small. When the attachment is pivoted while being brought into contact with the skin surface, the attachment can be easily fitted on the human body. Therefore, the operability of the attachment and the contact between the contact membrane and the skin surface can be improved without causing the reservoir section to shield the converged ultrasound beams. Also, in this invention, the contact membrane projects outwardly when the attachment is cut at the first plane and has a predetermined radius of curvature. For this reason, the transmittance of the ultrasound beams transmitted through the contact membrane is improved, and the ultrasound beams multiple-reflected by the contact membrane can be eliminated.

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First Claim