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An endoscopically deliverable ultrasound imaging system having an ultrasound probe mounted at the end of an endoscopically deliverable catheter. The catheter connects the probe to an ultrasound imaging system. The axial or radial position of the ultrasound probe is measured by a position transducer mounted on the endocscope adjacent the biopsy port from which the catheter extends. The output of the position measuring transducer is applied to the ultrasound imaging system so that the imaging system provides an image of the tissue depth as a function of the position of the ultrasound probe.

An ultrasound probe for positioning in the vaginal cavity includes a phased array of transducer elements at one end thereof oriented at an acute angle with respect to the central axis of the probe whereby the imaging field of view is provided by rotating the probe. A biopsy needle assembly snaps onto slots on the probe with a fork and socket fit. A handle on the probe is offset from the central axis of the probe thereby freeing the space around the entrance to the needle guide and facilitating the manipulation by hand of a needle in the guide.

The organisation of sucking and swallowing in newborn infants was investigated using ultrasound. Twelve term neonates, 6 breast-fed and 6 bottle-fed, were examined at 2-5 days postnatal age. The ultrasound probe was held under the baby's chin to record sucking and swallowing movements. Breathing was recorded with an apnoea alarm device, and displayed on the scanner monitor via the ECG input. Videotape records were made of all feeds. To analyse the records breathing movements were traced from the screen onto paper, and sucking and swallowing events over the same period superimposed onto the trace. The analysis showed that sucks either occurred on their own or together with a swallow, whereas swallows were never observed without a suck. In babies 2-3 days of age a swallow was often associated with a pause in breathing, while in babies 4-5 days of age swallows took place at the end of an inspiratory or expiratory phase so that the breathing rhythm looked undisturbed. 2-3 day-old breast-fed babies frequently sucked more than once before swallowing: this was not seen in bottle-fed babies. During sucking on the breast tongue movements conformed to a caudally directed, peristaltic wave, while on the bottle teat they were more piston-like in the vertical plane. There were also differences between breast and bottle-fed babies in the resting position of the tongue. These preliminary observations suggest that ultrasound provides an investigatory probe suitable for studies of normal and disturbed feeding physiology.

An ultrasound hyperthermia apparatus has a tomographic ultrasound probe for obtaining a tomographic image and a heating applicator for heating a tumor portion. A position detector is provided to detect the positional relationship of the tomographic ultrasound probe and the heating applicator with respect to a living organism, and a hot spot detector detects the position of a focusing point, i.e., a hot spot of the ultrasound radiated from the heating applicator in accordance with position data from the position detector, thereby generating an image signal indicating the hot spot. The image signal indicating the hot spot is superimposed on a tomographic image signal, and the hot spot is displayed on a TV monitor together with the tomographic image.