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Abstract

An ultrasound probe having a substantially cylindrical acoustic case for intraluminal application in an object, a method of making such a probe, and a method of focusing ultrasound are provided. The probe has a substantially cylindrical acoustic case with a central axis and an ultrasonic transducer unit positioned in the acoustic case. The ultrasonic transducer unit is rotatable about the central axis of the acoustic case to transmit or receive ultrasonic beams in a direction at an angle to the central axis. The transducer unit has a transducer for generating or receiving ultrasound, a shaft operatively connected with the transducer and having an axis substantially coincident with the central axis for rotating the transducer around the central axis, and an aspherical lens coupled with the transducer in the acoustic case to reduce the distortion by the focusing effect of the acoustic case on ultrasound. In a preferred embodiment, the aspherical shape of the aspherical lens is determined by a method including: selecting a focal point at the target area as a hypothetical source of a hypothetical beam of ultrasound, calculating the velocity potential on the transducer based on the hypothetical beam of ultrasound, and calculating the aspherical shape of the aspherical lens based on the velocity potential.

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First Claim