Intraluminal imaging devices with a reduced number of signal channels

An apparatus, comprising:

• an intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) catheter comprising:
• a flexible elongate member sized and shaped to be advanced through a blood vessel, wherein the flexible elongate member comprises a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a diameter;
• an imaging assembly positioned at the distal portion and comprising:
• an integrated circuit (IC);
• and
• an ultrasound transducer array comprising a plurality of transducer elements;
• and
• a plurality of cables extending within the flexible elongate member and comprising a plurality of signal lines, at least one power line, and at least one control line, wherein the imaging assembly comprises a rectangular shape comprising:
• a long dimension oriented between a proximal short edge and an opposite, distal short edge;
• and
• a short dimension oriented between a first long side and an opposite, second long side,
• wherein the IC comprises an electrical interconnect associated with the plurality of signal lines, the at least one power line, and the at least one control line,
• wherein the short dimension of the imaging assembly is sized to fill the diameter of the flexible elongate member such that only the proximal short edge comprises the electrical interconnect, and
• wherein a quantity of the plurality of cables is less than the quantity of the plurality of transducer elements such that a size of the electrical interconnect along the proximal short edge fits a quantity of electrical connections associated with the plurality of signal lines, the at least one power line, and the at least one control line.