Real-Time Images of the Beating Human Heart? No Problem!

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The ADAS1128 converter enables real-time imaging of moving subjects by CT systems. Credit: Analog Devices

Manufactured by Analog Devices Inc. (ADI; Norwood, MA), the ADAS1128 24-bit analog-to-digital converter may enable the next-generation of imaging capabilities. High-slice-count CT scanners that incorporate the chip will be able to capture real-time moving images with a high degree of accuracy and detail. On-demand images of the beating human heart are just one example of the types of applications made possible by chip integration.Housed in a miniature BGA package measuring 10 Ã-- 10 mm, the product converts photodiode array signals to digital ones. Engineered with 128 data-conversion channels, the chip supports four times more channels than any other integrated converter currently on the market, according to ADI. By cutting the cost per channel of the data-acquisition circuits, this design feature translates into a 50% reduction in electronics cost in comparison with older CT system designs, the company says."A higher slice count is one of the principal factors that enable current CT scanners to provide more detailed images," says Patrick O‘Doherty, healthcare segment director, Analog Devices. "With the ADAS1128, diagnostic system designers can develop CT scanners that produce clearer images while reducing overall scan time compared with older machines. This is invaluable in critical-care areas, such as cardiology, neurology, and angiography. The dramatic system-level cost, size, and power savings resulting from the ADAS1128 means that world-class CT scan diagnostics will become more affordable and practical in medical and security-sensitive environments throughout the world."A video on the company's Web site highlights the product's key features.