Ultrasound-on-chip: a novel platform for medical imaging

Avani Dave, Jai Hind College

In the general run of things, ultrasound machines are usually shared by various departments within the hospital, and therefore scheduling is essential to make complete use of the system. As far as the utilization of diagnostic ultrasound imaging is considered, managing the time becomes very crucial. The time saved during various processes eventually speeds up the diagnosis, prognosis, and thereby the recovery (all of these steps are crunched on perfect timings). But ultrasound machines are economically heavy on the pockets and hence, a completely accessible and personal ultrasound is not feasible. This is when the semiconductor chip technology comes in handy as it provides scale miniaturization and volume manufacturing, both of which reduce the cost of production. By incorporating the entire ultrasound system on a single chip, Ultrasound-on-Chip (UoC) probes can potentially facilitate a transformed healthcare framework throughout the globe. This transformation will be brought about as the reduced cost of the UoC probe will provide an improved dispersal for the personal use of this imaging technique. This outcome is synchronous with the increased accessibility that is provided by mobile phones, allowing various key features easily available to all the users. 

A recent study by researchers of Butterfly Network, Inc. delineates the designing, fabrication, and integration of MEMS transducers in a collaborated CMOS processing framework, as seen in the ultrasound-on-chip. The study also demonstrates the circuit designs of the CMOS that are needed for driving the MEMS, which allows data procurement and processing. The major components of the UoC platform are the CMOS and MEMS allowing the probe to act as a whole-body ultrasound imager. This probe surpasses the other ultrasound probes when considering the number of clearance indications achieved from the Food and Drug Association (FDA) and ranks the first for this matter. The platform is versatile as it utilizes mixed signals circuitry of both digital and analog, allowing complete processing of data. The UoC probe also executes high-quality imaging, contains exclusive applications and adaptive connectivity with mobile devices, all these features are supported by artificial intelligence. 

Composition of the UoC platform 

The head of the UoC probe is occupied by a core chip that is integrated with the MEMS and the CMOS. The anterior portion of the chip has an acoustic lens made up of silicone and the heat-sink is composed of copper-coated-aluminium nitride which is thereby brought in contact with the metal housing of the probe.  The probe I/O pins are connected to a PCB, further connections are made with the power board and the digital board of the probe. This connection is what will help in processing the ultrasound data which can be viewed on a suitable device when connected to a USB cord. The temperature is maintained at a steady 43 °C, failing to which the probe automatically shuts down. The entire probe works on energy consumption of less than 5W and is available with a wireless charging system. This provides continuous accessibility for around 2 hours for normal scanning and 1.5 hours for advanced scanning modes. With all of these features, the probe proves itself to be a very promising tool in the field of medical imaging.

Also read: BITFAM infers transcription factor activity in individual cells

References: 

• Rothberg, J. M., Ralston, T. S., et al. (2021). Ultrasound-on-chip platform for medical imaging, analysis, and collective intelligence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118(27), e2019339118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2019339118

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Author Info: Avani Dave is currently in the final year of her bachelor’s degree, majoring in Life Sciences. Holding a good academic and extra-curricular record, she is on a constant journey of acquiring exposure in her field of interest while simultaneously not limiting herself to just that. Avani likes studying Diseases and Syndromes and everything under this umbrella! That being said, she is adept at working across departments and promises to deliver.