A comprehensive review on photon-counting computed tomography: Principles, technical hurdles and analysis of clinical applications.
10.7507/1001-5515.202305015
- Author:
Haowei ZHANG
1
;
Shuhan LI
1
;
Ying LIU
1
;
Heqing LU
2
Author Information
1. School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, P. R. China.
2. Department of Equipment, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Shanghai 201204, P. R. China.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Charge sharing;
Clinical application;
Photon-counting computed tomography;
Photon-counting detector;
Pulse pileup
- MeSH:
Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods*;
Photons;
Noise;
China;
Phantoms, Imaging
- From:
Journal of Biomedical Engineering
2023;40(5):1012-1018
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
In recent years, photon-counting computed tomography (PCD-CT) based on photon-counting detectors (PCDs) has become increasingly utilized in clinical practice. Compared with conventional CT, PCD-CT has the potential to achieve micron-level spatial resolution, lower radiation dose, negligible electronic noise, multi-energy imaging, and material identification, etc. This advancement facilitates the promotion of ultra-low dose scans in clinical scenarios, potentially detecting minimal and hidden lesions, thus significantly improving image quality. However, the current state of the art is limited and issues such as charge sharing, pulse pileup, K-escape and count rate drift remain unresolved. These issues could lead to a decrease in image resolution and energy resolution, while an increasing in image noise and ring artifact and so on. This article systematically reviewed the physical principles of PCD-CT, and outlined the structural differences between PCDs and energy integration detectors (EIDs), and the current challenges in the development of PCD-CT. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of three detector materials were analysed. Then, the clinical benefits of PCD-CT were presented through the clinical application of PCD-CT in the three diseases with the highest mortality rate in China (cardiovascular disease, tumour and respiratory disease). The overall aim of the article is to comprehensively assist medical professionals in understanding the technological innovations and current technical limitations of PCD-CT, while highlighting the urgent problems that PCD-CT needs to address in the coming years.
