Scientists have unveiled the world's first nuclear medicine gamma-ray camera based on perovskite crystals. This prototype promises more accurate and convenient patient examinations while reducing radiation dose and scanning time.
These crystals are grown as high-purity ingots and then polished to a perfectly smooth surface to minimize charge loss. The sensors are assembled into a pixel array similar to that found in smartphones, enabling detailed and uniform images.
The camera can distinguish radioactive sources as close as 3.2 mm and detect weak signals, allowing for the use of lower doses of radiopharmaceuticals. This paves the way for safer and more effective patient examinations.
In addition to improving image quality, the technology is cheaper and easier to manufacture than existing systems based on cadmium zinc telluride (CZT).
In the future, hospitals around the world will be able to use these scanners without incurring significant costs.
