OmniVision’s OV6930 high-performance camera supports medicare-accepted disposable medical device

SANTA CLARA, USA: OmniVision Technologies Inc., a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, announced that its ultra-compact, high-performance OV6930 CMOS image sensor performed exceptionally well in a recent 448-patient clinical study on Avantis Medical Systems’ Third Eye Retroscope.

The study, published in the March issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, demonstrates that the Third Eye Retroscope can increase the accuracy in diagnosing adenomas, or pre-cancerous polyps, by 23.2 percent when used in conjunction with a traditional colonoscope.

The Third Eye Retroscope is an FDA-cleared, disposable, catheter-based camera for use with a standard colonoscope that provides a continuous backward-looking view while the colonoscope provides the usual forward view. In 2010, Avantis received a Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement code for the Third Eye Retroscope. The companies believe that this recognition by Medicare and Medicaid, combined with the favorable results from this recent clinical study, may significantly accelerate the adoption rate by healthcare providers in the United States.

“The OV6930’s excellent low-light sensitivity and image quality enabled the Third Eye to perform extraordinarily well in the clinical study, drastically improving colonoscopy accuracy,” said Matthew Whitcombe, senior marketing manager, OmniVision. “Moreover, by providing this superior performance in a form factor with an exceedingly small footprint, the OV6930 allows for ultra-compact camera designs, making these medical procedures minimally invasive for the patient.”

“With currently more than 150,000 cases of colorectal cancer reported annually in the US, and more than 400,000 in Europe, it is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US and Europe,” said Doug Gielow, VP of sales and marketing at Avantis. “However, using today’s advanced imaging technologies, it can be highly preventable through early detection. Now that this product is Medicare approved, we hope to see greater adoption of this technology by healthcare providers, who can now submit claims for reimbursement. We’re extremely excited to watch the disposable medical imaging market grow as physicians and patients continue to experience the added benefit of our medical imaging solutions.”

The OV6930 is a CMOS image sensor designed specifically for use in medical devices. With a packaged footprint of only 1.8 x 1.8 mm, the OV6930 is an ideal solution for endoscopic applications that require a small profile, including bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, gastroscopy, OB-GYN and urology. It combines ultra-low power consumption with OmniVision’s best-in-class OmniPixel3-HS technology, enabling low-light performance of 3300 mV/lux-sec.

Its 1/10-inch array is capable of operating up to 30 frames per second (FPS) in 400 x 400 HVGA or 60 FPS in 400 x 200 resolution, providing RAW serial output. The low-voltage OV6930 allows cabling up to 14 feet, and is now shipping in volume to multiple medical device customers.