MEDICAL ELECTRONICS


How high-performance computing platforms are advancing optical coherence tomography in


ophthalmic diagnostics By Christoph Kühn, medical key account sales manager, Advantech Europe


I


n modern medicine, the ability to detect disease as early and accurately as possible remains one of the most important factors in improving patient outcomes. Nowhere is this more evident than in ophthalmology, where clinicians are often working with some of the body’s most delicate and complex structures. Diagnosing retinal disorders, monitoring glaucoma progression, identifying macular degeneration and preparing for cataract surgery all rely on detailed imaging of the eye’s internal structure.


Imaging technologies such as ultrasound and X-ray remain valuable for general diagnostic purposes, but when clinicians need ultra-precise, non-invasive visualisation of fine tissue layers, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become indispensable. Often described as an ‘optical biopsy’, OCT permits clinicians to generate high-resolution, cross- sectional images of biological tissue without physically disturbing or damaging eye structure.


Using low-power near-infrared light and interferometry, OCT delivers real-time images at micron-scale resolution, making it especially effective for thin and delicate tissue structures such as the retina, optic nerve and cornea. The technology is also increasingly used in cardiology and dermatology, but ophthalmology remains the predominant application due to the need for exceptional image precision.


Speed and precision


As healthcare providers continue to demand faster diagnoses, more accurate imaging and increasingly data-driven clinical decision- making, OCT systems are evolving rapidly. This progress is creating significant computing challenges for engineers designing the next generation of diagnostic platforms. One of the most critical requirements in OCT is speed. Clinicians need imaging data to appear almost instantaneously, allowing


32


what they observe during examination to be reflected in near real time on the monitor. Unacceptable levels of latency between image capture and visualisation can impact diagnostic confidence, particularly when examining subtle abnormalities in retinal layers or optic nerve structures. Reducing latency is therefore critical, not only to improve workflow efficiency, but also to minimise motion artefacts (image distortions) and ensure clinicians receive an accurate representation of what is happening inside the eye.


A key factor here is the need for OCT systems to handle increasingly large volumes of data. Today’s ultra-fast A-scans (used to capture eye depth profiles) generate extreme quantities of information per second, while wider fields of view require greater throughput and signal stability. In addition, some hospitals, clinics and research facilities are now moving towards volumetric 3D imaging.


At the same time, as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into ophthalmic diagnostics, the demand for rapid processing becomes even greater. AI-assisted overlays


JULY/AUGUST 2026 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS


that highlight potential abnormalities or provide clinical guidance must be delivered without delay to support decision-making rather than interrupt it.


Together, these requirements are creating increasingly heavy demands on processing power, memory capacity and system architecture. The incoming load from high- performance cameras and frame-grabber cards needs processing, recalculating, rendering and displaying with minimal delay. Completing these tasks necessitates a careful balance of CPU performance, GPU acceleration, memory bandwidth and high- speed I/O.


For engineers tasked with developing next- generation OCT platforms, the computing foundation must be sufficiently powerful to support today’s imaging requirements while offering the flexibility to accommodate future developments in 3D imaging, AI and evolving clinical workflows.


Building the right foundation To meet these demands, Advantech’s AIMB- 588 B1 Micro-ATX industrial motherboard provides a high-performance platform


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46