Nuclear medicine relies on imaging technologies like SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) to visualize blood flow, detect hidden disease, and monitor organ function. While invaluable, current detector technologies—made from cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) or sodium iodide (NaI)—come with high costs, manufacturing challenges, or image quality limitations.

Researchers from Northwestern University and Soochow University have now demonstrated a breakthrough: the first perovskite-based gamma-ray detector capable of capturing individual gamma rays with record precision. Published in Nature Communications, their work may reshape the future of medical imaging.

“Perovskites are a family of crystals best known for transforming the field of solar energy. Now, they are poised to do the same for nuclear medicine,” said Mercouri Kanatzidis, senior author of the study.

How the Technology Works

The research team focused on cesium lead bromide perovskites (CsPbBr₃), which are easier to grow as high-quality crystals than traditional detector materials. Using a careful growth process, the team created crystals with:

• High gamma-ray absorption efficiency

• Low noise and minimal defect sites

• Exceptional energy resolution, enabling detection of individual gamma-ray photons

In tests, these perovskite detectors achieved record-level precision, comparable to or exceeding current CZT detectors, but with the potential for significantly lower manufacturing costs.

Why This Matters for Healthcare and Research

For patients, this innovation could mean:

• Shorter scan times
• Clearer, more reliable imaging results
• Lower radiation doses

For hospitals and labs, the impact could be equally significant. Perovskite detectors are easier to grow, simpler to manufacture, and more cost-effective compared to CZT. That could make high-resolution nuclear medicine imaging accessible beyond the most well-funded medical centers.

Implications for Biotechnology and Diagnostics

The potential applications of perovskite detectors extend well beyond hospitals:

• Biotechnology and pharmaceutical research: clearer imaging can improve preclinical studies and drug development pipelines.
• Molecular diagnostics and IVF centers: faster, more precise imaging tools can enhance quality control and patient outcomes.
• Regulated environments: laboratories focused on safety and compliance may find perovskite-based detectors to be both cost-efficient and performance-driven.

Yihui He, co-corresponding author from Soochow University, emphasized: “Our approach not only improves the performance of detectors but also could lower costs. That means more hospitals and clinics eventually could have access to the best imaging technologies.”

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Looking Ahead

The technology is now being commercialized by Actinia Inc., a Northwestern spinout, and is expected to move rapidly toward integration into medical imaging systems. The development marks a pivotal step: high-quality nuclear imaging that is not only sharper and faster but also far more affordable.

For researchers and practitioners in molecular biology, biotechnology, and diagnostics, this advance demonstrates how materials science can directly enhance healthcare technologies. As perovskites transition from the laboratory into clinical practice, they could redefine global standards for accessible, high-quality imaging.

Source: Northwestern University, via ScienceDaily.