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TechWaTch By Robbie Galoso and Tom Hackenberg, IHS Markit
iven the medical imaging in- dustry’s growing requirements for power savings, higher reso-
lution and the need to support inte- grated security and communications, the unit volume of semiconductors used in medical imaging is expected to increase at a five-year compound an- nual growth rate of 8.2 percent, from 46 million in 2015 to a projected 73 million in 2020. Even with increasing demand for
energy-efficient and integrated com- ponents, year-over-year global rev- enue growth from semiconductors used in medical imaging was flat, due to optical component price erosion, reaching $1.1 billion in 2015.
Semiconductor Market Trends One of the most important
trends in the semiconductor industry today is the development of chip so- lutions that integrate several compo- nents into a single chip package to minimize size, save energy and lower production cost without sacrificing functionality. As the size of semiconductors
continues to decline, imaging sys- tems that used to cost more than a million dollars and took up large amounts of space have evolved into smaller, less-expensive systems that can be used in small clinics or doc- tors’ offices. The IHS Markit Indus- trial Semiconductor Market Tracker follows four types of medical imaging equipment: ultrasound, X-ray, mag- netic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT). The ultrasound market is fore-
tems with more efficient and higher- priced digital X-ray systems — espe- cially in the Asia-Pacific region. The MRI market is expected to
cast to grow 4.7 percent over the next five years. Portable ultrasound in China is not growing as fast as previ- ously expected, due to lower capital investments and strategy shifts to- ward higher-end systems from major suppliers. With ultrasound typically costing less than CT and MRI, healthcare reform is likely to favor the more widespread adoption of ul- trasound, which bodes well for pa- tients and doctors opting for systems that minimize radiation exposure. The X-ray market is expected to
grow 5.3 percent, led by mobile X-ray replacing existing analog mobile sys-
grow 6.4 percent, due to higher de- mand for open MRI in emerging mar- kets, which is more cost- effective than closed systems. Open MRI has not gained traction in the United States and other mature markets, because of its lower field strength and weaker image quality when compared with closed MRI.
The CT market is
expected to grow 4.2 percent, led by 64-slice systems which are more cost-effective than the 128-slice systems, but still provide sufficient image quality for diagnostic purposes. As the 128-slice system market matures and the devices be- come more affordable, it will gradual- ly gain momentum. The demand for less-than-16-slice systems and 17- to 63-slice systems will continue to de- cline, because emerging regions are price-sensitive and quality is not the primary consideration.
Semiconductors Thrive in Medical Imaging
The demand for high-quality
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and innovative medical imaging has increased the advancement, perform- ance and penetration of semiconduc- tors and sensors. Ongoing component price erosion continues to intensify across the semiconductor industry, as semiconductor manufacturing contin- ues to increase significantly in China. Complementary metal-oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) image sen- sors are predominant in CT and X- ray systems, allowing for amplified cross-sectional
image slices of
scanned body areas with higher reso- lution, faster data throughputs and better diagnostics. CMOS is an emerging technology that is pre- ferred over charge-coupled device (CCD) technology, due to lower cost, higher readout speed and less noise. Scanner performance improvements and innovations have significantly increased slice count, leading to faster and clearer images. It is also a lot safer for patients, due to its re- duced radiation dosage levels. More power discrete and module
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semiconductors are required for mo- tor control and input power refine- ment — especially in MRI systems re- quiring greater magnetic field strength, with the transition to 3 Tes- la (3T) technology. Analog semicon- ductors are also prevalent in the med- ical imaging market, due to the inte- gration of low-noise amplifiers, volt- age-to-current amplifiers, and multi- channel analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) into single analog front-end
Expected medical imaging chip volume for next few years.
low-cost needs of CT scanners with high slice counts and clearer images. A high-resolution ADC must be used during an MRI scan to produce a strong magnetic field.
Processors and MCUs Processors are another crucial
component and differentiator in medical imaging devices. These in- clude microcontrollers (MCUs), mi- croprocessors (MPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), applications/me- dia processors (APs) and config- urable
system-on-chip devices
(CSoCs). AP is defined under appli- cation-specific logic. Configurable processors, including field-program- mable gate arrays (FPGAs) and CSoCs, are defined under program- mable logic devices. Processor trends in medical imaging reflect trends that are occurring across the semi- conductor industry. MCUs typically control human-
machine interface functions, motor control, power management control, connectivity, security and other func- tions that have little to do with image processing. They are inexpensive com- pared to image processors, and they are also less likely to fail in adverse environments with a lot of radioactiv- ity, high temperatures or electromag- netic interference, which makes them well-suited for use in medical imaging equipment. MCUs are used in touch- screens and keyboard controllers, mo- tor controllers, sensor fusion, network connectivity, safety, and security. Im- provements in the equipment’s ease- of-use, comfort and control are prima- rily due to the use of MCUs. As imag- ing equipment trends from large, clin- ically installed models to mobile and portable solutions, these features will be in high demand, requiring higher quantities of MCUs with greater func-
tionality. Contact: IHS Markit, 4th Floor
Ropemaker Place, 25 Ropemaker Street, London, EC2Y 9LY U.K. % +44-20-7260-2000 Web:
www.ihsmarkit.com r
December, 2016
Medical Imaging Chip Volume to Soar G
integrated circuits (AFE ICs). These circuits are much smaller and dissi- pate less power than previous-genera- tion parts, while providing twice the performance. Analog advancements have addressed the low-power and
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