Curved Array Probes

Curved array may be regarded as a linear array on a convex surface producing an image corresponding to a sector display format which offers a large field of view. Similar scan line sequencing to a linear array is produced, except that its physical curvature entails that the scanlines form a radial fan beam originating from the transducer center of curvature instead of being parallel.

Curved array transducers are used for a variety of applications, the larger versions serving mainly for general obstetrics, transabdominal scanning and monitoring in radiology and interventional surgery. Small Radius of Curvature (ROC) array probes with higher-frequencies are often used as endocavity probes such as transvaginal and transrectal probes for Urology and GYN. Microconvex probes can be used for scanning lungs and for pediatric transabdominal imaging, both in radiology.