Medical Twisted Pairs and Twinaxial Cables

Standard twisted pairs can be used for differential signal lines (putting equal but opposite voltage on each of the wires). This ensures that noise effects are significantly reduced. Typically twisted pairs reach their limits around ~2-4 Gbps while twinaxials can perform well at higher transmission rates. Twisted pairs may have better flex characteristics over twinaxial designs.

Twinaxial constructions have the pairs laid parallel to each other. This approach allows for very high bandwidth applications greater than that of common twisted pairs. They result in lower attentuation due to a shorter travel distance, better impedance characteristics and better control of skew within the pair. Typically twisted pairs reach their limits around ~2-4 Gbps while twinaxials can perform well at higher transmission rates. Twinax signals are especially good at 5 Gbps+ up to and as high as 25 Gbps / channel currently.