Photon Counting Technology: A new era of precision in Medical Imaging
Next-generation CT imaging with photon counting for precise, lower-dose diagnostics.
Revolutionizing medical imaging with unmatched clarity and efficiency
Photon counting technology represents the next major advancement in medical imaging. Unlike conventional CT, which relies on indirect detection, photon counting directly captures and quantifies individual x-ray photons, delivering unprecedented clarity.
With ams OSRAM’s expertise, this innovative technology is set to redefine diagnostic imaging by improving spatial resolution and significantly reducing radiation exposure. Photon counting’s unique capability to capture individual photons enables clearer images even at low doses, providing a safer, more precise alternative in CT imaging. This breakthrough technology is an essential step toward the future of personalized and highly accurate diagnostics.
From conventional CT to photon counting: a new approach
Computed tomography has long been a cornerstone in diagnostic imaging, but conventional CT scanners use indirect detectors, where x-rays are converted into light and then detected by photodiodes. While effective, this method has limits in sensitivity due to unfavorable energy weighting, and faces challenges to deliver higher spatial resolution.
Over the years CT has also faced scrutiny for its higher x-ray dose levels compared to other imaging methods. While advances have helped reduce patient dose, further improvements have fueled research towards the next technical revolution.
Photon counting changes this by using direct conversion detectors that capture and convert individual photons into electrical signals, allowing counting and quantifying the energy of the photons. This resolves the energy-dependent attenuation characteristics of matter, which is largely neglected in Conventional CT and can lead to image artefacts.
A breakthrough in low-dose imaging and tissue differentiation
Photon Counting offers immediate benefits including improved contrast-to-noise due to the flat energy weighting response and the ability to distinguish and quantify the materials responsible for the attenuation of the x-ray photons.
These detectors enhance spatial resolution beyond conventional CT, exploiting inherent photon energy information to differentiate tissue types.
Photon counting technology is an essential advancement for patient safety, reducing radiation exposure by up to 80% without sacrificing image quality. By capturing photons individually, it increases sensitivity and reduces noise, achieving high-resolution images even at low doses. It is especially useful for frequent imaging needs in oncology, cardiology, and pediatric care, photon counting supports early diagnostics while enhancing patient comfort and safety.
Unlocking the future of photon counting
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