The Future of Endoscopy Is CMOS

Endoscopy and CMOS

Endoscopy enables minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of a variety of conditions, from cancers to heart disease. Although endoscopy has existed for decades, legacy technology based on charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors has reached its limits.

Also, the high cost of CCD image sensors and the overall system complexity make their use impractical in an exponentially growing single-use endoscopy market. In contrast, procedures in smaller parts of the anatomy, including the brain, eyes, ear/nose/throat (ENT), spine, heart, urinary tract, and more, require entry through smaller openings. Fortunately, more advanced image sensors are available to replace them. Image sensors that use complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology offer the latest imaging solution. This paper challenges common perceptions about CCD-based endoscope imaging technology and explains how CMOS based image sensors will enable further advances in this life-saving diagnostic and therapeutic tool.