From Siemens Medical Systems;
We see a way to review 100% of your cardiovascular ultrasound exams and reports anywhere, anytime. The Cypress™ system is a highly miniaturized, all digital, phased array echocardiography system that provides complete studies and outstanding images - even on the most technically difficult patients.

Specifications for this system will be available soon.

From ESAOTE S.p.A.;
'The AU5 EPI is an ultrasound system for multi-disciplinary use that incorporates all the transducer technologies (linear, convex, phased array, and annular array) adapted to today's most diverse diagnostic requirements. Furthermore it offers the most modern and advanced techniques available today on the market.'

From SIUI Inc.;
'The Apogee 800Plus ultrasound system offers a new level of high quality in image. With broad clinical application, the system delivers ease of use for cardiac and vascular exams.'
'Due to the exceptional image quality, the sensitivity of color Doppler and many other advanced features, the Apogee 800Plus offers complete diagnosis capability for your entire patient population, including abdominal, obstetrics, gynecology, adult cardiology, pediatric cardiology, peripheral vascular, small parts, breast, prostate, transcranial, etc.'

Composite arrays are combinations of piezoelectric ceramics and polymers that form a new material with different properties. Piezocomposites improve the performance of usual arrays such as the mechanically scanned annular array and the linear phased array.
Piezocomposites reduce the acoustic impedance with a better impedance match with tissue. The result is a reduction of the reverberation level in the near field. Unwanted surface waves propagating laterally over the transducer are suppressed. The composite materials allow to vary the electromechanical coupling constant, and to give better control over the trade-off between sensitivity and bandwidth.

See also Narrow Bandwidth, Dead Zone, Ultrasound Phantom.

Convex transducers are today standard on every new scanner. A convex surface allows the scanning of a larger area with a smaller array. The method of focusing and beam sweeping of a convex or curvilinear / curved array is similar to a linear array transducer, except of the shape of the probe and the sector format of the created image.
The better fit to the body, caused by the curved shape with smaller convex contact surface, and the wider field of view further from the transducer face are advantages in abdominal ultrasound.
However, also a convex array is often too large to image the heart when probing between the ribs. Caused by combining a large field of view with smallest array size, phased array transducers are the best choice in cardiac ultrasound.

See also Curved Transducer.