Dalsa has released a new family of 12um AT CCD image sensors, which the company said offers improved quantum efficiency and sensitivity, as well as improved signal-to-noise and high-speed performance for medical diagnostics and scientific imaging.

In addition to the launch of a 12 megapixel image sensor, successors to the present range of 4 and 6 megapixels will also be introduced, said the Waterloo, Ontario-based company. 

Dalsa Product Manager Yves Kessener said that the increased sensitivity of the new CCD sensors can lead to improved detection at lower light levels, which he said has practical benefits such as reducing x-ray dosage for patient safety during medical examinations.