• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Capistrano Labs

Capistrano Labs Incorporated

Ultrasound Technology for Ophthalmology

  • Products
    • Electronic Sub-Systems
      • PC-Based Annular Array
      • Host-Based Single-Channel
    • Imaging Probes
      • CLI 1000 Imaging Probes
      • CLI 1400 Imaging Probes
      • CLI 1500 Imaging Probes
    • Thin-Film Transducers
  • Services
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Probe Service & Repair
    • Engineering Services
  • About
  • FAQ
Contact Us

Host-Based Single-Channel

Single-Channel, Host-Based Ultrasound Imaging Engine

It is CLI’s objective is to offer application-specific, host-based ultrasound imaging solutions to the OEM community. A wide range of applications may be accommodated with our standard imaging engine using CLI probes, or custom solutions may be available for special applications/probes.

Call us at 1.949.492.0390 to discuss your specific needs.

Single Channel, Single Element Systems

Product Concept

This ultrasound sub-system employs a single USB-compliant printed circuit board and, when combined with a Microsoft OS equipped host device, renders high-quality diagnostic ultrasound images. With the PCB in residence, or connected via USB cable, the host computer is transformed into a very low-cost, single-channel imaging system capable of producing a variety of formats and using a variety of probes. The system can run from AC-mains or from Li-ion battery pack with up to six hours of operation.

Note: Host computer and operating system are not included.

Host-Based Single-Channel
Host-Based Single-ChannelShown With Optional Battery PCB
Host-Based Single-Channel

Applications

The system may be adapted to a number of diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Diagnostic applications
  • Ophthalmology (anterior and posterior chamber imaging)
  • Urology
  • Ob/gyn
  • Basic abdominal imaging
  • Dermatology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Small and large animal veterinary imaging
Therapeutic applications
  •  Imaging for prostate seeding or targeting for heat/cryo treatments
  • Lithotripsy targeting
  • Indwelling catheter placement assistance
  • Navigation and brain-shift correction in neurosurgery

Sub-System Characteristics

Physical Characteristics
  • USB version: Half-size low-profile (2.536 in. height) USB-compliant printed circuit board
  • PCB may be mounted inside a PC using internal 12V accessory supplies and internal USB data connection, or outboard using a 12V DC supply and USB cable
  • B-mode and A-mode probe cable connectors at rear of card (integrated into card – no harnessing required)
  • Includes software SDK and basic imaging SW
  • Optional battery operation available (up to six hours of continuous use per full charge)

Note: The included software is supplied to allow demonstration of the features of the sub-system, only. This software is not recommended for, nor is it suited to, clinical use of any kind.

Front-End Characteristics
Probe Support

The sub-system supports a variety of CLI’s electromechanical probes.

High-voltage power supply (HVPS)

The HVPS provides voltage output of 12-100V. When coupled with CLI’s bipolar pulser (see below), this provides 200V peak-to-peak (maximum, using 50Ohm load). Voltage level is under software control. Therefore, the actual voltage applied to the transducer can be determined by the developer/programmer and will depend on allowable power limits (i.e., mechanical index) for a given application, and other customer requirements.

Pulser / Receiver

The sub-system employs a novel pulser design that we call “Agile Pulse Technology”. APT produces a bi-polar pulse that can be optimized for probe frequencies ranging from 2-50 MHz. This is especially important when using transducers with frequencies in excess of 10.0 MHz, where mono-polar “spike” pulses can often produce frequency spectra lower than expected. APT may also be used to drive the frequency lower, or higher, for a given transducer, producing the effect of a true multi-frequency probe.

The receiver employs bandpass filtering and envelope detection of the received waveform to provide accurate signal detection up to 50+ MHz. A log amplifier provides a stable, low-noise signal that preserves all of the received data. Digital TGC (dTGC) may be applied in active mode, frozen mode, or from archived images recalled for later viewing (see more about this, below). Digital filters are included in firmware that tailor certain receiver characteristics to the transducer frequency. A probe ID scheme allows the optimum digital and receive filters to be associated to particular probe types/frequencies. Other signal processing schemes are also possible through software upgrades.

Servo Controller

The servo controller has been designed to properly control CLI probes and to provide accurate position feedback to the imaging engine. CLI probe/servo combinations are typically accurate to within one degree (1º) of sweep angle. Final accuracy will be somewhat dependent on the total electronic stability of the host system and may exceed one degree.

Back-End Characteristics

Acoustic and position data are digitized and then written to host memory and may be streamed to memory for cine-mode recall, if supported in SW. Each image is drawn using 256 vectors and 8-bit grayscale. A wide variety of image geometries and displays may be formatted from this array and saved to disk in their raw format, including A/B-mode and A-mode displays. Saved images may later be recalled and displayed (individually or in cine mode), and dTGC and gray-level windowing applied as if the images were just acquired. This deserves emphasis: No data is lost in TGC or pre-processing algorithms when images are frozen and saved, and all dTGC and grayscale curves may be applied to recalled or frozen images. This feature allows a good deal of flexibility when reviewing saved images for diagnostic interpretation, whether it is done immediately after an examination or retrieved from archives years later. Images may be saved to the host’s hard drive, to a peripheral drive, or transferred via LAN or internet to a central archive. Uncompressed images occupy 512 KB of disc space. Standard compression utilities (e.g., PKZIP, WINZIP, etc.) reduce file size to less than 150 KB.

Support for Customer-written Application Software

CLI supplies Memory and scan conversion DLLs and sample source code for image generation and associated documentation for those wishing to develop custom end-user applications. Calls to DLLs include many features, such as:

  • 4X oversampling
  • One-way or two-way scanning
  • Interpolation
  • Frame averaging
  • Cine (various lengths)
  • Digital signal filtering
  • Digital TGC and grayscale curves
  • 256, 128, 64, or 32 vector imaging mode
  • Various imaging widths and depths
  • Selectable frame rates
  • Selectable pulse frequencies
  • Speed of sound

Developers may also choose to develop their own scan conversion and DSP schemes, in which case only the use of CLI’s memory DLL is necessary.

Optional Image Viewer

A Remote Image Viewer may be easily created from the application software that allows review and manipulation of images WITHOUT the need of the imaging electronics. The viewer is a software program that has the look and feel of the normal user interface, but does not have the capability of acquiring new images. Only archived images may be viewed. For example, image acquisition may take place at site A using the full imaging sub-system. The images may then be transferred via internet to site B, where they may be reviewed, approved, or used as the basis for a second opinion. Site B need only have the viewing software resident on a suitable host running the viewer application.

System Requirements

The imaging sub-system operates on consumer-grade PC systems. Each USB host must be screened for suitability.

Sample Images

18MHz Eye Muscle
18MHz Eye Muscle
18MHz Cysts
18MHz Cysts
18MHz Silicone Oil
18MHz Silicone Oil

Are you ready to get started?

Call today to discuss your specific needs. We look forward to hearing from you!

Footer

Contact Us

Capistrano Labs, Inc.
150 Calle Iglesia, Unit B
San Clemente, CA 92672
949-492-0390
Email Us

Quick Links

  • Products
  • Services
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Contact Us

About CLI

World-Wide Leader for Ultrasound Technology for Ophthalmology
Learn More

Copyright © 2023 Capistrano Labs, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy    Return to top