An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals

Abstract X-ray photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has garnered considerable interest owing to its low-dose administration, high-quality imaging, and material decomposition characteristics. Current commercial PCCT systems employ compound semiconductor photon-counting X-ray detectors, which of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kenji Shimazoe, Donghwan Kim, Moh Hamdan, Yosuke Kobayashi, Kei Kamada, Masao Yoshino, Yasuhiro Shoji, Kyohei Sakamoto, Fabio Acerbi, Alberto Gola
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Communications Engineering
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00313-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850216085089943552
author Kenji Shimazoe
Donghwan Kim
Moh Hamdan
Yosuke Kobayashi
Kei Kamada
Masao Yoshino
Yasuhiro Shoji
Kyohei Sakamoto
Fabio Acerbi
Alberto Gola
author_facet Kenji Shimazoe
Donghwan Kim
Moh Hamdan
Yosuke Kobayashi
Kei Kamada
Masao Yoshino
Yasuhiro Shoji
Kyohei Sakamoto
Fabio Acerbi
Alberto Gola
author_sort Kenji Shimazoe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract X-ray photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has garnered considerable interest owing to its low-dose administration, high-quality imaging, and material decomposition characteristics. Current commercial PCCT systems employ compound semiconductor photon-counting X-ray detectors, which offer good energy resolution. However, the choice of materials is limited, and cadmium telluride or cadmium zinc telluride is mostly used. Although indirect radiation detectors can be used as alternatives to compound semiconductor detectors, implementing fine-pitch segmentation in such detectors is challenging. Here we designed an indirect fine-pitch X-ray photon-counting detector by combining miniaturized silicon photomultiplier arrays and fast scintillation crystals, with a pixel size of 250 µm, for future indirect PCCT. The fabricated array detector has the potential to discriminate photon energies with a 27% resolution at 122 keV, 296 µm spatial resolution, and charge-sharing inhibition ability.
format Article
id doaj-art-a23b1681f71f4a68b64d52c8365ba97f
institution OA Journals
issn 2731-3395
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Engineering
spelling doaj-art-a23b1681f71f4a68b64d52c8365ba97f2025-08-20T02:08:24ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Engineering2731-33952024-11-01311910.1038/s44172-024-00313-1An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystalsKenji Shimazoe0Donghwan Kim1Moh Hamdan2Yosuke Kobayashi3Kei Kamada4Masao Yoshino5Yasuhiro Shoji6Kyohei Sakamoto7Fabio Acerbi8Alberto Gola9Department of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of TokyoDepartment of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of TokyoDepartment of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of TokyoDepartment of Nuclear Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, The University of TokyoTohoku UniversityTohoku UniversityTohoku UniversityDiatrend CorporationFondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), center for sensors and devices (SD)Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), center for sensors and devices (SD)Abstract X-ray photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has garnered considerable interest owing to its low-dose administration, high-quality imaging, and material decomposition characteristics. Current commercial PCCT systems employ compound semiconductor photon-counting X-ray detectors, which offer good energy resolution. However, the choice of materials is limited, and cadmium telluride or cadmium zinc telluride is mostly used. Although indirect radiation detectors can be used as alternatives to compound semiconductor detectors, implementing fine-pitch segmentation in such detectors is challenging. Here we designed an indirect fine-pitch X-ray photon-counting detector by combining miniaturized silicon photomultiplier arrays and fast scintillation crystals, with a pixel size of 250 µm, for future indirect PCCT. The fabricated array detector has the potential to discriminate photon energies with a 27% resolution at 122 keV, 296 µm spatial resolution, and charge-sharing inhibition ability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00313-1
spellingShingle Kenji Shimazoe
Donghwan Kim
Moh Hamdan
Yosuke Kobayashi
Kei Kamada
Masao Yoshino
Yasuhiro Shoji
Kyohei Sakamoto
Fabio Acerbi
Alberto Gola
An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
Communications Engineering
title An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
title_full An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
title_fullStr An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
title_full_unstemmed An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
title_short An energy-resolving photon-counting X-ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon-photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
title_sort energy resolving photon counting x ray detector for computed tomography combining silicon photomultiplier arrays and scintillation crystals
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44172-024-00313-1
work_keys_str_mv AT kenjishimazoe anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT donghwankim anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT mohhamdan anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT yosukekobayashi anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT keikamada anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT masaoyoshino anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT yasuhiroshoji anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT kyoheisakamoto anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT fabioacerbi anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT albertogola anenergyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT kenjishimazoe energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT donghwankim energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT mohhamdan energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT yosukekobayashi energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT keikamada energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT masaoyoshino energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT yasuhiroshoji energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT kyoheisakamoto energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT fabioacerbi energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals
AT albertogola energyresolvingphotoncountingxraydetectorforcomputedtomographycombiningsiliconphotomultiplierarraysandscintillationcrystals