Exploring　the　non-dispersive　property,　the　fundamental　shear　horizontal　mode　SH0　can　be　widely　used　in　the　detection　and　monitoring　of　defects　in　plate　like　structures.　To　combine　an　approach　of　ultrasonic　guided　waves　and　a　tomographic　technique　by　adapting　a　reconstruction　algorithm　for　the　probabilistic　inspection　of　damage　(RAPID)　using　a　double-Turn　coil　omnidirectional　shear　horizontal　wave　magnetostrictive　patch　transducer　(OSH-MPT)　with　three　different　kinds　of　array　arrangements　is　presented　here　for　imaging.　SH0　can　propagate　in　a　composite　material　through　bonding　double-Turn　coil　OSH-MPT.　To　get　the　information　about　a　damage,　RAPID　can　be　utilized　based　on　direct　wave　of　SH0　mode.　It　is　advantageous　to　monitor　a　composite　plate　where　the　velocity　of　direct　waves　depends　on　the　propagation　direction.　In　this　paper,　a　surface　simulated　defect,　using　a　small　cylinder,　in　a　composite　material　is　quantitatively　evaluated　by　using　shear　horizontal　mode　tomographic　approach.　Using　modified　approaches,　to　eliminate　the　effect　of　uneven　probability　distribution　of　the　array　(UPDA)　in　RAPID,　imaging　is　obtained.　Three　different　array　setups　of　transducers　have　been　tested　to　monitor　the　influence　on　the　images.　It　has　been　presented　that　the　image　generated　by　the　proposed　approach　with　the　optimal　transducer　array　and　shape　factor,　β,　calculation　method　has　great　influence　on　the　real　defect　shape.　To　improve　the　imaging　results　threshold　is　selected　based　on　the　receiver　operating　characteristic　(ROC)　curve.　The　proposed　approach　can　be　used　to　detect,　locate　and　image　the　surface　defects　in　plate　like　structures.　©　Published　under　licence　by　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.