Medical imaging equipment OEMs can achieve faster results

Texas Instruments has announced a portfolio of more than 15 dedicated embedded processors which enable faster, more accurate results for doctors and clinicians while empowering imaging equipment manufacturers to develop new modalities or to make existing products smaller and more portable.

These processors target several medical imaging applications including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), digital x-ray, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and other newly developed modalities.

The processors join with TI's full range of catalogue and application-specific analog products to deliver a complete signal chain solution and help increase the speed and availability of care to millions of people around the world.

Embedded digital signal processors are flexible, programmable devices that can be field upgraded with the updated software and algorithms.

Universities, programmers and R&D centres continually develop new algorithms to improve the clarity, depth and usefulness of diagnostic images.

With TI's extensible processors, these new algorithms can be easily uploaded to field-deployed machines.

For equipment manufacturers, these rapid updates lengthen the life of their installations, while improving machine functionality. For clinicians and patients, improved images equal better diagnoses and care response.

In addition to enabling improved images, TI's processors and high-performance analog products also positively impact the speed of care. Many of TI's integrated circuits for medical imaging offer exceptional performance at very low power and in ultra-small form factors, enabling equipment manufacturers to turn large, fixed machines into portable or handheld devices.

Portable imaging machines can travel directly to the patient - whether in an ambulance, in remote locations or in trauma and triage settings - improving the overall speed and effectiveness of delivering treatment.

Embedded processors, as well as TI's DLPTM technology, also give manufacturers tools for new imaging modalities.

New techniques such as tissue elasticity imaging, hyperspectral imaging, adaptive patient-specific imaging and 3D/4D imaging and vein viewing all leverage the numerous capabilities of high performance, low power devices from TI.

For example, real-time, patient-specific tissue elasticity images can be achieved with new algorithms developed specifically for TI's processors, delivering optimal diagnostics.

For 3D/4D imaging, which requires a tremendous amount of real-time processing, TI's processors improve the richness of 3D foetal modelling for clinical analysis and enable effective 4D cardiovascular applications. DLP technology eliminates 'bad sticks' by allowing the patient's veins to be highlighted and easily viewed.

Addressing many challenges facing imaging OEMs, TI begins with the signal chain - taking the analogue signal captured by the machine, digitising it for analysis and then converting it back to analogue for viewing by the physician or clinician.

Surrounding the signal chain, TI also provides power management, clocks, interface, amplifiers and data converters, resulting in the broadest semiconductor portfolio products available for all medical imaging modalities.

TI's embedded processors range from high-performance multicore devices to very low- power products that meet the imaging equipment manufacturers' needs.

For example, TI's numerous multicore products offer significant computational performance required by OEMs for high-end imaging modalities. High-performance single-core processors such as the TMS320C6455 and TMS320C6452 are well-suited for imaging modalities requiring real-time operations such as ultrasound, digital x-ray, OCT, hyperspectral imaging and other emerging applications.

- For more information, visit www.ti.com/medicalimaging

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