Ultrasonic treatment apparatus

Apparatus for the detection and destruction by means of ultrasonic shock waves of an object within the body, comprises a transducer operated by a pulse generator for emitting shock waves which are focussed on the body of the patient by way of a fluid coupling medium. A location system connected to the transducer comprises at least one monitor as a display device. The monitor has a screen for depicting an image of the object and an aiming or sighting mark which can be placed in coincidence with the object by relative displacement between the patient and the transducer to position the focus of the transducer on the object and to authorize the operation of the pulse generator. A signal level corresponding to the brightness value of the object depicted on the screen, and obtained from a video signal of the location system, is established as a reference value. A selected target area including the object, can be scanned automatically by displacement of the transducer. The video signals produced concomitantly in the imaging system are compared as actual values with the reference value and the pulse generator is operated when the level of the actual values is at least equal to the level of the reference value.