Ultrasound imaging equipment

Abstract

The present specification relates to an ultrasound imaging device comprising a set (100) of ultrasound transducers (103) distributed into a plurality of subsets (105), each subset being a subset of P transducers (103), and for each subset (105), the device comprising: K transceiver circuits (123 k ); and configurable routing circuitry (125) that connects the P transducers (103) in the subset (105) to the K transceiver circuits (123 k ), P and K are integers greater than or equal to 2, where K is strictly less than P, and each subset (105) includes at least one transducer, referred to as a mobile transducer, capable of communicating with the K transceiver circuits (123) of the subassembly via a routing circuit (125). k ) in a number of predefined transceiver circuits (123 k ) to disconnect or connect to any of them.

Description

[0001] French patent application FR 20 / 04326, from which this patent application claims priority, is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of ultrasound imaging, and more particularly to an ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers and electronic circuitry for controlling the transducers. Background Art

[0003] An ultrasonic imaging device conventionally comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and electronic control circuitry connected to the transducers. In operation, the transducer assembly is placed in front of a subject whose image is to be acquired. The electronic device is configured to apply an electrical excitation signal to the transducer, causing the transducer to emit ultrasonic waves toward the subject to be analyzed. The ultrasonic waves emitted by the transducer are reflected by the subject to be analyzed (by its internal and / or surface structures) and then return to the transducer, which converts them back into electrical signals. The electronic response signals are read by the electronic control circuitry and can be stored and analyzed to infer information related to the subject being studied.

[0004] The ultrasound transducers can be arranged in a linear array in the case of a two-dimensional image acquisition device, or in an array in the case of a three-dimensional image acquisition device. In the case of a two-dimensional image acquisition device, the acquired image represents a cross-section of the subject being studied within a plane defined on the one hand by the alignment axes of the transducers of the linear array and on the other hand by the emission directions of the transducers. In the case of a three-dimensional image acquisition device, the acquired image represents a volume defined by the two alignment directions of the transducers of the array and by the emission directions of the transducers.

[0005] This article more particularly considers three-dimensional image acquisition devices.In such devices, the number of ultrasound transducers can be very high, typically from a few hundred to a few thousand, or even more.

[0006] A three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition device has been provided in which, in order to limit the complexity of the electronic control circuitry, a plurality of ultrasound transducers share the same transceiver circuitry via a configurable multiplexing circuit. Examples of embodiments and modes of operation of such a device are described in particular in patent application FR 3 086 063 previously filed by the applicant.

[0007] It would be desirable to improve, at least in part, one or more aspects of known three-dimensional ultrasound image acquisition devices. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To this end, an embodiment provides an ultrasound imaging device, the device comprising an assembly of ultrasound transducers distributed in a plurality of subassemblies, each subassembly being a subassembly of P transducers, and for each subassembly, the device comprising:

[0009] -K transceiver circuits; and

[0010] - configurable routing circuitry coupling the P transducers in the subassembly to the K transceiver circuits,

[0011] Wherein, P and K are integers greater than or equal to 2, and K is less than P,

[0012] And wherein each subassembly includes at least one transducer, referred to as a mobile transducer, capable of being disconnected from or connected to any one of a plurality of predefined transceiver circuits among the K transceiver circuits of the subassembly via the routing circuit.

[0013] According to an embodiment, each subassembly further comprises at least one transducer, referred to as a fixed transducer, which is capable of being disconnected from or connected to a single predefined transceiver circuit among the K transceiver circuits of the subassembly via the routing circuit of the subassembly.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the assembly are arranged in rows and columns.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the assembly are arranged in an array.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the transducers of the assembly form a pattern that is generally circular in shape.

[0017] According to an embodiment, each subassembly is an array of adjacent transducers in the assembly.

[0018] According to an embodiment, each subassembly comprises a plurality of mobile transducers arranged along a diagonal of an array of adjacent transducers forming the subassembly.

[0019] According to an embodiment, each subassembly comprises a plurality of fixed transducers arranged along another diagonal of the array of adjacent transducers forming the subassembly.

[0020] According to an embodiment, each subassembly is a 2x2 subarray of adjacent transducers.

[0021] According to an embodiment, the device further comprises a control circuit adapted to control the configurable routing circuit of the different subcomponents.

[0022] According to an embodiment, the control circuit is configured to, during the ultrasound image acquisition phase, in each subassembly of the transducer:

[0023] - during a transmit phase of ultrasound, connecting the P transducers of the subassembly to the K transceiver circuits of the subassembly via the configurable routing circuitry of the subassembly; and then

[0024] - During the phase of receiving the echo of the transmitted ultrasonic wave, connecting a single transducer of the subassembly to each transceiver circuit of the subassembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The foregoing features and advantages, and others, will be described in detail in the remainder of the disclosure of specific embodiments which are given by way of illustration and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a simplified perspective view of an example of an ultrasound image acquisition device according to an embodiment;

[0027] Figure 2 Further details are shown Figure 1 Examples of embodiments of configurable routing circuitry for a device;

[0028] Figure 3 Shows that Figure 1 An example of a method for acquiring an ultrasound image using a device; and

[0029] Figure 4 Schematically shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 equipment and Figure 3 Alternative embodiments of the acquisition method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Like features have been designated by like references in the various figures. In particular, structural and / or functional features that are common between the various embodiments may have the same references and may be configured with the same structure, dimensions, and material properties.

[0031] For the sake of clarity, only the steps and elements that are helpful for understanding the embodiments described herein are illustrated and described in detail. In particular, the various possible applications of the described imaging device have not been described in detail, and the described embodiments are compatible with the typical applications of ultrasonic imaging devices. In addition, the properties (frequency, shape, amplitude, etc.) of the electrical excitation signal applied by the control circuit to the ultrasonic transducer have not been described in detail, and the described embodiments are compatible with the excitation signals currently used in ultrasonic imaging systems and can be selected based on the application under consideration, in particular the nature of the subject to be analyzed and the type of information desired to be obtained. Similarly, the various processing applied to the electrical signal delivered by the ultrasonic transducer and read by the control circuit to extract useful information related to the subject to be analyzed has not been described in detail, and the described embodiments are compatible with the processing currently used in ultrasonic imaging systems. In addition, the formation of the control circuit of the described ultrasonic transducer and imaging device has not been described in detail, and the detailed structure of these elements is within the capabilities of those skilled in the art (based on the instructions of this disclosure and by using known ultrasonic transducer and electronic circuit formation techniques).

[0032] Unless otherwise specified, when two elements are referred to as being connected together, this means a direct connection without any intermediate elements other than conductors, and when two elements are referred to as being coupled together, this means the two elements may be connected or they may be coupled via one or more other elements.

[0033] Figure 1 is a simplified perspective view of an example of an ultrasound image acquisition apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 1 The device comprises an array 100 of elementary ultrasonic transducers 103 arranged along M rows Ri and N columns Cj, where i is an integer ranging from 1 to M and j is an integer ranging from 1 to N, M and N being integers greater than or equal to 2. In the example shown, M=N=12. The described embodiments are of course not limited to this particular case. It should be noted in particular that the values M and N can be different from each other. The elementary transducers 103 are, for example, all identical within a manufacturing discrete. The transducers 103 can be CMUT-type transducers (capacitive membrane ultrasonic transducers), piezoelectric transducers, crystal transducers or any other type of ultrasonic transducer.

[0035] exist Figure 1In the example of , the array 100 is divided into a plurality of sub-arrays 105 of adjacent transducers, each comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. By adjacent transducers, it is meant here that in each sub-array 105, the transducers 103 in the sub-array are clustered, that is, no transducer 103 of another sub-array 105 is arranged between two transducers 103 of the sub-array. In other words, each sub-array 105 is formed by all the transducers 103 located at the intersection of an assembly of a plurality of consecutive rows Ri and a plurality of consecutive columns Cj of the array 100. In Figure 1 In the example, the sub-arrays 105 do not overlap, that is, each transducer 103 belongs to a single sub-array 105 of the device. The sub-arrays 105, for example, all have the same size. Hereinafter, m and n designate the number of rows and columns of each sub-array 105, respectively, m and n being integers greater than or equal to 2. In the example shown, m=n=2. However, the described embodiments are not limited to this particular case. It should be noted in particular that the values m and n can be different from each other. Preferably, M is a multiple of m and N is a multiple of n. Thus, the array 100 is divided into (M / m)*(N / n) sub-arrays 105, which are arranged in an array layout. In Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the array 100 is divided into 6×6 sub-arrays 105 .

[0036] Figure 1 The device further comprises an electronic control circuit 120 connected to the transducers 103 of the array 100. For each sub-array 105 of the array 100, the electronic control circuit 120 comprises:

[0037] - K transceiver circuits 123 dedicated to the m*n transducers of the sub-array 105 k Component 122, wherein K is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than the number P=m*n of transducers of subarray 105, and k is an integer ranging from 1 to K; and

[0038] A configurable routing circuit 125 specifically dedicated to the transducers 103 of the sub-array 105 , coupling the m*n transducers 103 of the sub-array 105 to the K transceiver circuits of the corresponding component 122 .

[0039] Therefore, the electronic control circuit 120 includes K transceiver circuits 123 k (M / m)*(N / n) components 122 each, that is, for example, a total of (M / n)*(M / m)*K transceiver circuits 123 that are identical or similar k , for example, and the same or similar (M / m)*(N / n) routing circuits 125. For simplicity, Figure 1 A single routing circuit 125 has been shown in FIG. Figure 1In the example of FIG. 1 , the control circuit 120 includes K=2 transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232 for each sub-array 105, that is, a total of 6×6×2=72 transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232. k .

[0040] exist Figure 1 In the example, each transducer 103 can only be coupled to one or more transceiver circuits 123 of the component 122 of transceiver circuits associated with the sub-array 105 to which it belongs via the corresponding routing circuit 125. k In other words, the transducers 103 of a sub-array 105 cannot be coupled to the transceiver circuitry 123 of a component 122 associated with another sub-array 105. k .

[0041] according to Figure 1 In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, each sub-array 105 includes at least one transducer 103, which will be referred to as a mobile transducer hereinafter, capable of communicating with a plurality of predefined transceiver circuits 123 of the K transceiver circuits of the corresponding component 122 via a routing circuit 125 associated with the sub-array 105. K Each sub-array 105 may include a plurality of mobile transducers.

[0042] Each sub-array 105 may also include one or more other transducers 103, which will be referred to as fixed transducers hereinafter, wherein each fixed transducer may be connected to a single predefined transceiver circuit 123 of the K transceiver circuits of the corresponding component 122 via routing circuitry 125 associated with the sub-array 105. K Disconnect or connect to it.

[0043] For example, the (M / m)*(N / n) routing circuits 125 are independently controllable. For this purpose, the electronic control circuit 120 may include control terminals (not shown) coupled to the different circuits 125. Figure 1 A single control circuit CTRL (described in detail in ).

[0044] Figure 2 Further details are shown Figure 1 For clarity, a single routing circuit 125 and a sub-array 105 of transducers 103 and transceiver circuitry 123 associated with this routing circuit are shown. k Component 122 is already in Figure 2 Shown in.

[0045] Consider this example Figure 1, where m=n=2 and K=2. Each circuit 125 thus couples four elementary transducers 103 to two transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232.

[0046] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, in each sub-array 105, two of the transducers 103 are fixed transducers, while the other two transducers 103 are mobile transducers. The fixed transducers are arranged on a first diagonal of the sub-array, and the mobile transducers are arranged on a second diagonal of the sub-array. In the example shown, the two fixed transducers correspond to the transducers positioned at the upper left corner (position (a)) and the lower right corner (position (d)) of the sub-array 105, respectively, and the two mobile transducers correspond to the transducers positioned at the upper right corner (position (b)) and the lower left corner (position (c)) of the sub-array 105, respectively.

[0047] The transceiver circuitry 123 that connects the transducers 103 of the sub-array 105 to the assembly 122 via the configurable routing circuitry 125 will now be described. k different possibilities.

[0048] The first fixed transducer (position (a)) can either be disconnected from the transceiver circuit 1231 of the component 122 (ie, connected to the transceiver circuit 1231 of the device) or be connected to the transceiver circuit 1232 of the device. k However, such a transducer (hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(a)) cannot be connected to any other transceiver circuit 1231 of the device. k .

[0049] The second fixed transducer (position (d)) can either be disconnected from or connected to the transceiver circuitry 1232 of component 122. However, this transducer (hereinafter referred to as transducer 103(d)) cannot be connected to any other transceiver circuitry 1232 of the device. k .

[0050] The first mobile transducer (position (b)) can be either disconnected from or connected to any one of the transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232 of component 122. However, this transducer (hereinafter referred to as transducer 103 (b)) cannot be connected to any other transceiver circuit 1231 of the device. k .

[0051] Similarly, the second mobile transducer (position (d)) can be either disconnected from or connected to any one of the transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232 of component 122. However, this transducer (hereinafter referred to as transducer 103 (d)) cannot be connected to any other transceiver circuit 1231 of the device. k .

[0052] exist Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , the circuit 125 has been schematically illustrated in the form of four switches SW1 , SW2 , SW3 and SW4 .

[0053] The switch SW1 is a two-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1 coupled, for example, to an electrode of the transducer 103(a) and a second conductive electrode n2 coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of the transceiver circuit 1231. In a first state of the switch SW1, referred to as an off state, the terminals n1 and n2 of the switch SW1 are electrically isolated from each other. In a second state of the switch SW1, referred to as an on state, the terminals n1 and n2 of the switch SW1 are electrically connected to each other.

[0054] Switch SW2 is a three-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1 coupled, for example, to an electrode of transducer 103(b); a second conductive terminal n2 coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1231; and a third conductive terminal n3 electrically insulated from terminal n2 and coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1232. In a first state of switch SW2, referred to as the OFF state, terminal n1 of switch SW2 is electrically insulated from terminals n2 and n3 of switch SW2. In a second state of switch SW2, terminals n1 and n2 of switch SW2 are electrically connected to each other. In a third state of switch SW2, terminals n1 and n3 of switch SW2 are electrically connected to each other.

[0055] Switch SW3 is a three-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1 coupled, for example, to an electrode of transducer 103(c); a second conductive terminal n2 coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1231; and a third conductive terminal n3 electrically insulated from terminal n2 and coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of transceiver circuit 1232. In a first state of switch SW3, referred to as the OFF state, terminal n1 of switch SW3 is electrically insulated from terminals n2 and n3 of switch SW3. In a second state of switch SW3, terminals n1 and n2 of switch SW3 are electrically connected to each other. In a third state of switch SW3, terminals n1 and n3 of switch SW3 are electrically connected to each other.

[0056] The switch SW4 is a two-state switch having a first conductive terminal n1 coupled, for example, to an electrode of the transducer 103(d), and a second conductive terminal n2 coupled, for example, to an input or output terminal of the transceiver circuit 1232. In a first state of the switch SW4, referred to as the off state, the terminals n1 and n2 of the switch SW4 are electrically isolated from each other. In a second state of the switch SW4, referred to as the on state, the terminals n1 and n2 of the switch SW4 are electrically connected to each other.

[0057] Thus, in this example, any two transducers 103 of the subarray 105 can be individually controlled in parallel via the transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232, respectively, associated with the subarray 105. As a variation, any two transducers (except the two fixed transducers 103(a) and 103(d)) can be controlled simultaneously via the same transceiver circuit 1231 or 1232.

[0058] Figure 3 Shown with the help of Figure 1 and Figure 2 An example of a method for acquiring ultrasound images using the described device.

[0059] In this example, the acquisition method comprises a phase of transmission of ultrasonic waves, followed by a phase of reception of echoes of the transmitted ultrasonic waves.

[0060] During the transmit phase, in each sub-array 105, all transducers 103 of the sub-array 105 are simultaneously connected to the transmit circuitry 123 associated with the sub-array via corresponding routing circuitry 125. k This configuration is determined by Figure 3 The view (A) shows that it corresponds to Figure 1 A front view of the array 100, wherein the array 100 is active in transmit mode (ie, connected to the transceiver circuit 123 during the transmit phase) k ) of the transducers 103, i.e., in this example, all transducers 103 have been shown in black. More specifically, consider the Figure 2 In the described example, in each sub-array 105, two transducers 103 (e.g., fixed transducer 103 (a) and mobile transducer 103 (b)) can be simultaneously connected to the same output terminal of the sub-array transceiver circuit 1231, and two other transducers 103 (e.g., mobile transducer 103 (c) and fixed transducer 103 (d)) can be simultaneously connected to the output terminal of the sub-array transceiver circuit 1232. As a variant, transducers 103 (a) and 103 (c) can be simultaneously connected to the transceiver circuit 1231, and transducers 103 (b) and 103 (d) can be simultaneously connected to the transceiver circuit 1232. Each transceiver circuit 123 kThe same electrical excitation signal is then applied to the transducers 103 to which they are connected, causing these transducers to transmit ultrasound waves. k The excitation signals applied may be the same or different. k The applied excitation signals may be the same or different.

[0061] During the receive phase, in each sub-array 105, only K different transducers 103 are connected to the K transceiver circuits 123 associated with the sub-array via corresponding routing circuits 125. k The other transducers 103 are disconnected. In other words, a single transducer 103 is connected to each transmit circuit 123. k , and each transducer 103 is connected to at most a single transceiver circuit 123 k This configuration is determined by Figure 3 The view (B) shows that it corresponds to Figure 1 A front view of the array 100 with the transducer 103 active in receive mode (ie connected to the transceiver circuit 123 during the receive phase) k The transducers 103 that are inactive in the receiving mode, i.e. that are not connected to the input terminals of the transceiver circuit 123K during the receiving phase, have been shown in black. Figure 2 In the example described, in each sub-array 105, a single transducer 103, (e.g., transducer 103(a)) is connected to an input terminal of a transceiver circuit 1231, and a single other transducer 103 (e.g., transducer 103(d)) is simultaneously connected to an input terminal of a transceiver circuit 1232. As a variant, only transducers 103(b) and 103(d) are simultaneously connected to transceiver circuits 1231 and 1232, respectively. Preferably, the transducers activated in the receive mode are regularly distributed so that the distance between two adjacent transducers 103 activated in the receive mode is substantially the same in the row direction and in the column direction and is substantially constant over the entire surface of the array 100. This is particularly advantageous in that Figure 3 (B) of FIG, where only the transducers of the same diagonal line of each subarray 105 (in this example, transducers 103 (a) and 103 (d)) are activated in receive mode. During the receive phase, each circuit 123 k An electrical signal representing the ultrasonic echo received by the transducer 103 to which it is connected is read.

[0062] Figure 3The advantage of the method is that it is able to obtain relatively high-resolution images because during the receiving phase, each of the (M / m)*(N / n)*K transducers 103 activated in the receiving mode is controlled by a specific transceiver circuit 123. k Furthermore, the fact that all transducers 103 are activated simultaneously during the emission phase enables relatively high mechanical energies to be sent into the medium to be analyzed and thus images with a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio to be obtained.

[0063] As a variant, in at least some of the subarrays 105 of the assembly 100, only a portion of the transducers 103 of the subarray is activated during the transmit phase. Furthermore, as a variant, in at least some of the subarrays 105 of the assembly 100, a plurality of the transducers 103 of the subarray are connected to the same transceiver circuit 123 during the receive phase. k In this case, the received signal is received by the transceiver circuit 123 k are summed at the input of , for example such as described in the above-mentioned patent application FR3086063.

[0064] The above solution of providing a ratio of K transceiver circuits for m*n transducers is therefore a favourable compromise in terms of image quality and complexity of the control circuits, which involves:

[0065] - one aspect relates to a so-called fully populated, non-configurable device, in which each transducer is associated with a dedicated transceiver circuit (with a 1 to 1 ratio between transceiver circuits and transducers); and

[0066] Another aspect concerns a device of the type described in the aforementioned patent application FR 3 086 063, comprising a single transceiver circuit per sub-array 105 (the ratio between transceiver circuits and transducers being 1 to m*n).

[0067] This compromise, combined with the provision of mobile transducers that can be connected to different transceiver circuits as needed via routing circuitry 125, enables a wide variety of acquisition scenarios and thus highly accurate analysis. The optional provision of fixed transducers in each subarray 105 advantageously enables the complexity of routing circuitry 125 to be limited.

[0068] Tests performed by the inventors have shown in particular that, for the same number and same arrangement of elementary transducers 103, the Figure 1 and Figure 2 Describe the type of equipment and according to Figure 3 The quality of images obtained with the control method is essentially the same as that of a fully populated device (one transceiver circuit per elementary transducer), especially in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio.

[0069] Figure 4Shows about Figure 1 and Figure 2 Variants of the described acquisition equipment and Figure 3 Variants of the described acquisition methods.

[0070] Figure 4 The variant of differs from the previously described mainly in that, in this variant, the Figure 1 The sub-arrays 105 at the four corners of the array 100 of the device and the corresponding routing circuits 125 and transceiver circuits 123 k has been omitted. Therefore, instead of Figure 1 The example has a generally square shape, Figure 4 The basic transducer 103 assembly 100 of the acquisition device has a generally circular shape. For the rest, the layout and operation of the device are the same as described above with respect to Figures 1 to 3 Same or similar to those already described.

[0071] Tests performed by the inventors have shown that the image quality loss associated with suppression from transducers at the corners of the array is negligible, given the significant improvements in cost and complexity associated with the reduction in the number of transducers, the reduction in the amount of configurable routing circuitry, the reduction in the amount of transceiver circuitry, and the number of signals to be processed at the inputs of the transmit path and the outputs of the receive path of the device.

[0072] Various embodiments and variations have been described. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain features of these various embodiments and variations may be combined, and that other variations will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, the described embodiments are not limited to the above-described example in which the elementary transducers 103 of the acquisition device are arranged in rows and columns. More generally, the assembly 100 of transducers 103 of the acquisition device may have any other layout than those described herein. Furthermore, the described embodiments are not limited to the above-described specific example in which K transceiver circuits 123 are shared. k The subassemblies 105 of the basic transducer 103 of the same assembly 122 of the assembly 100 are arrays of adjacent transducers. More generally, the transducers 103 of each subassembly 105 may be arranged according to any other layout, which is provided that the number P of transducers 103 of each subassembly 105 is greater than the number of transceiver circuits 123 of the corresponding assembly 122. k The number K of , and K is greater than or equal to 2.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging device comprising an assembly (100) of ultrasonic transducers (103) distributed in a plurality of subassemblies (105), each subassembly (105) being a subassembly of P transducers (103), and for each subassembly (105), the device comprising: -K transceiver circuits (123 k ); as well as - configurable routing circuitry (125) that couples the P transducers (103) in the subassembly (105) to the K transceiver circuits (123 k ), Wherein, P and K are integers greater than or equal to 2, and K is less than P, And wherein each subassembly (105) comprises at least one transducer (103(b), 103(c)) referred to as a mobile transducer, said mobile transducer being capable of communicating with K transceiver circuits (123) of said subassembly via said routing circuit (125). k ) in a plurality of predefined transceiver circuits (123 k ) is disconnected from or connected to the plurality of predefined transceiver circuits (123 k ), Each subassembly (105) further comprises at least one transducer (103(a), 103(d)) referred to as a fixed transducer, said fixed transducer being capable of communicating with the K transceiver circuits (123) of said subassembly via said routing circuit (125) of said subassembly. k ) is disconnected from or connected to the single predefined transceiver circuit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The transducers (103) of the assembly (100) are arranged in rows and columns.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein The transducers (103) of the assembly (100) are arranged in an array.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein The transducers (103) of the assembly (100) form a pattern that is generally circular in shape.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein Each subassembly (105) is an array of adjacent transducers (103) in the assembly (100).

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein Each subassembly (105) comprises a plurality of mobile transducers (103(b), 103(c)) arranged along diagonals of the array of adjacent transducers (103) forming the subassembly (105).

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein Each subassembly (105) comprises a plurality of fixed transducers (103(a), 103(d)) arranged along another diagonal of the array of adjacent transducers (103) forming the subassembly (105).

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein Each subassembly (105) is a subarray of 2x2 adjacent transducers (103).

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit (CTRL) adapted to control the configurable routing circuit (125) of different sub-components (105).

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein The control circuit (CTRL) is configured to, during the acquisition phase of ultrasound images, in each subassembly (105) of the transducer (103): - During the transmit phase of ultrasound, connecting the P transducers (103) in the subassembly to the K transceiver circuits (123) of the subassembly via the configurable routing circuit (125) of the subassembly k ); and then - During the reception phase of the echo of the transmitted ultrasonic wave, connecting a single transducer (103) in the subassembly to each transceiver circuit (123) of the subassembly k ).

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