Volumetric imaging using single chip integrated CMUT-on-CMOS IVUS array.

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Biomedical Engineering
• Ultrasound Imaging

Background:

• Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheters are crucial for guiding interventions.
• Miniaturization and reduced complexity are key goals for IVUS catheter development.
• Integrating front-end electronics with capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) on a single chip is highly desirable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a single-chip forward looking IVUS (FL-IVUS) system.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of monolithic CMUT-on-CMOS integration for IVUS applications.
• To assess the system's capability for volumetric imaging in a relevant phantom model.

Main Methods:

• Monolithic integration of CMUTs directly onto pre-processed CMOS wafers (CMUT-on-CMOS).
• Implementation of a system design with integrated electronics using a 0.35-µm CMOS process.
• Fabrication of a 1.4-mm diameter CMUT array for the FL-IVUS system.
• Experimental volumetric imaging using an ex-vivo chicken heart phantom.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of a single-chip FL-IVUS system with integrated electronics.
• Demonstration of experimental volumetric imaging capabilities.
• The system achieved visualization of the front view in the chicken heart phantom.

Conclusions:

• The single-chip FL-IVUS system with monolithic CMUT-on-CMOS integration is a promising technology.
• This miniaturized approach minimizes parasitic capacitances and interconnection complexity.
• The system holds potential for clinical application in visualizing coronary arteries during interventions.