Biplane ultrasound arrays with integrated multiplexing solution for enhanced diagnostic accuracy in endorectal and transvaginal imaging

Biplane ultrasonic endocavity probes are nowadays commonly used in many applications such as obstetrics, gynecology or urology. The present work will relate to an innovative probe design that comprises three independent array transducers specifically designed for transrectal diagnostic with respect to brachytherapy protocols and prostate cancer. The transducer set is composed of a short curvature traversely mounted array being sandwiched between the two other curved arrays longitudinally mounted. The curvatures of the transverse and longitudinal transducers are set different to provide extended views of the organ. Rapid switching between transverse and longitudinal devices are provided by the implementation of a multiplexing electronics manageable by the imaging system.