CMUT/CMOS-based Butterfly iQ - A Portable Personal Sonoscope

doi:10.37015/AUDT.2019.190819

Abstract

Abstract:

With the development of bioengineering technologies, medical ultrasound systems have evolved and advanced over the years, including the transition of ultrasound machines from analog devices to digital systems and improvements in transducer assembly from piezoelectric ceramics to single crystals. In the past several years, the further miniaturization of ultrasound units has become possible with the advancement of computer chip manufacturing and production. Most recently, a new handheld ultrasound system has been developed by the startup company Butterfly Network, using an innovative CMUT/CMOS-based probe technique. This paper will review the history, technology and features of this new device, as well as discuss its future potential as a personal sonoscope.

Key words: Handheld; Butterfly iQ; CMUT/CMOS technique; Ultrasound; Transducer

Joyce Y Liu, BA, Jiajun Xu, MD, Flemming Forsberg, PhD, Ji-Bin Liu. MD, FAIUM. CMUT/CMOS-based Butterfly iQ - A Portable Personal Sonoscope. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2019, 3(3): 115-118.

References

[1]	Yu X, Cui Y, Xuan Y, Jiang T, Cui L. Application and development of handheld ultrasound in the field of medicine and healthcare. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy 2018; 02:155-60.
[2]	Saporito B. This Startup’s Ultrasound Device Is the Size of an Electric Razor- and Thousands of Dollars Cheaper Than Any Competitor. Inc Magazine2019;
[3]	Rothberg JM, Hinz W, Rearick TM, Schultz J, Mileski W, Davey M, et al. An integrated semiconductor device enabling non-optical genome sequencing. Nature 2011; 475(7356):348-52.
[4]	Reader R. ThisAffordable, Portable Ultrasound Device Works with a Smartphone. Fast Company 2019;
[5]	Comstock J. Butterfly IQ gets FDA clearance for chip-based smartphone-connected ultrasound. Mobi Health News 2017;
[6]	Herper M. Aiming to Revolutionize Medical Ultrasound,Butterfly Raises $250 Million At A $1.25 Billion Valuation. Forbes 2018;
[7]	Strickland E. New “Ultrasound on a Chip” Tool Could Revolutionize Medical Imaging. IEEE Spectrum 2017;
[8]	Khuri-Yakub BT, Oralkan O. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers for medical imaging and therapy. J Micromech Microeng 2011; 21:54004-54014.
[9]	Khuri-Yakub BT, Oralkan M , Kupnik M. Next-Gen Ultrasound.IEEE Spectrum 2009;
[10]	Cheng X, Lemmerhirt DF, Kripfgans OD, Zhang M, Yang C, Rich CA, Fowlkes JB. CMUT-in-CMOS Ultrasonic Transducer Arrays with On-Chip Electronics. Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystem Conference, 2009.Transducers. 2009: 1222-1225.
[11]	A window into the human body for less than $2000 enabled by breakthrough Ultrasound-on-a-Chip technology. Butterfly Network: Our Mission 2017.
[12]	McNeil DG. In African Villages,These Phones Become Ultrasound Scanners. New York Times 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/15/health/medical-scans-butterfly-iq. html

[1]	Felipe Velasquez-Botero, MD, Ananya Balasubramanya, Ying Tang, MD, Qiang Lu, MD, Ji-Bin Liu, MD, John R. Eisenbrey, PhD. Renal Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound: Clinical Applications and Emerging Research [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 129-146.
[2]	Wuqi Zhou, MD, Yishu Song, MD, Rui Wang, MD, Qiaofeng Jin, MD, Mingxing Xie, PhD, Li Zhang, PhD. Research Progress in Ultrasonic Regulation of Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 147-152.
[3]	Ying Zhu, MD, Xiaohong Jia, MD, Yijie Dong, MD, Juan Liu, MD, Yilai Chen, MD, Congcong Yuan, MD, Weiwei Zhan, MD, Jianqiao Zhou, MD. Using S-Detect to Improve Breast Ultrasound: The Different Combined Strategies Based on Radiologist Experience [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 180-187.
[4]	Lynda Aoudia, Amal Kouchkar, Salah Eddine Bendib. Performance of Elastography, Color Doppler and B Mode Ultrasound to Differentiate Fibroadenomas from Phyllodes Tumors [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 195-203.
[5]	Yanling Chen, MM, Hantao Wang, MM, Hong Han, PhD, Yi Dong, PhD, Wen-ping Wang, MD. Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound of Undifferentiated Embryonal Sarcoma of the Liver in Adult: Two Cases Report and Literature Review [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 204-209.
[6]	Jullie Anne Chiste, Larissa Cavalli de Oliveira, Liziane Lorusso, Anna Luisa Aranha Nunes, João Vitor Bacarin. Uterine Artery Pseudoaneurysm after Cesarean Section Treated with Superselective Embolization: A Case Report [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(4): 210-213.
[7]	Huolin Ye, MD, Qiannan Huang, MD, Qingjing Zeng, MD, Xuqi He, MD, Erjiao Xu, MD, Yinglin Long, MD, Kai Li, MD, Rongqin Zheng, MD. Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound for Evaluation of Active Needle Tract Bleeding during Thermal Ablation of Liver Cancer [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(3): 104-111.
[8]	Zi’ang Yang, BS, Xia Xu, BS. Ultrasound of Pancreaticoduodenal Pseudoaneurysm without Obvious Cause, A Case Report [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(3): 125-127.
[9]	Brenda E. Tester, BS, MS, Ji-Bin Liu, MD, John R. Eisenbrey, PhD, George Koenig, MD. Emerging Applications of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound in Trauma [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(2): 39-47.
[10]	Xuehong Diao, MD, Lin Chen, MD, Bo Yu, MS, Jiamei Jin, MS, Jia Zhan, MD, Yue Chen, BS. Follicular Thyroid Neoplasmon Conventional and Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(2): 48-57.
[11]	Yanhai Wang, MD, Hua Yang, MD, Hanqing Liu, MD, Xiaoli Luo, MD, Luying Liu, BS, Pingting Zhou, BS. Ultrasonographic Features of Intrathyroidal Thymic Carcinoma: Review and Analysis of 10 Cases [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(2): 58-63.
[12]	Shijing Song, MD, Qingqing Wu, MD, Jingjing Wang, MD, Jinghua Li, MD, Dan Yan, MD. Clinical Applications of Crystal Vue Technology: A Review [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(1): 1-6.
[13]	Zhaojun Li, MD, PhD, Cuiqin Shen, MS, Qingqing Chen, MB, Lei Sha, MB, Xianghong Luo, MD, PhD, Lianfang Du, MD, PhD. Shear Wave Dispersion Imaging for Measuring Carotid Elasticity and Viscosity [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(1): 14-21.
[14]	Xiaohui Ji, MD, Juanjuan Li, MD, Dongxia Gao, MD. Ultrasound-guided Microwave Ablation of Adenolymphoma of Parotid Gland: A Case Report [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(1): 22-25.
[15]	Jing Ma, MD, Yuchen Wang, MD, Xiaohui Sun, MD, Aiqing Zhang, MD, Bo Zhao. Ectopic Pregnancy Implanted in the Diaphragm: A Case Report and Literature Review [J]. Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy, 2022, 6(1): 26-28.