Analog Devices came up with an IC that it claims simplifies the development of continuous-wave (CW) Doppler imaging in stationary and portable ultrasound systems.

CW Doppler is an advanced Doppler technique, used in approximately 30% of today's cardiac ultrasound equipment. It allows physicians to accurately assess the physical state of arteries, veins, and blood vessels by quickly detecting blood flow and direction. The demand for both portable and stationary CW Doppler ultrasound systems is growing, with annual global unit shipments expected to increase 15%, year to year, over the next five years, says Analog Devices.

The AD8333 is claimed as the industry's first dual-channel I/Q demodulator and phase-shifter for CW Doppler ultrasound.

The monolithic Doppler phase-shifter IC achieves a dynamic range of 161 dB/Hz, which is equal to or exceeds the dynamic range of existing multichip solutions, while using less than 25% of the board space per channel and delivering a per-channel bill of materials savings of up to 75%, says the company.