Leading the perovskite revolution
The biggest challenge with X-ray detectors is improving resolution while simultaneously reducing the X-ray dose. At Holst Centre we are leading the way with a new generation of direct-conversion X-ray detectors that use ultra-sensitive perovskite materials.
We are continuously looking for ways to improve healthcare. And with our next generation of direct-conversion X-ray detectors we believe we can revolutionise the process of taking X-rays. Direct conversion, used for example in mammography, means that X-rays are directly transferred into an electrical signal, which is then converted into an X-ray image. Perovskite is best known for its use in the fastest-advancing solar-cell technology to date. However, is also promising in the area of direct-conversion X-ray materials that can be applied over large surfaces at low costs.
50 times more sensitive
In a first demonstration of this technology, Holst Centre and Siemens Healthineers have created a perovskite-based direct X-ray detector that is 100 times more sensitive than the currently used mammography detectors. This means we can reduce the X-ray dose, which clearly has great health benefits. At the same time, the image resolution is twice as good as the world’s finest CMOS indirect detector, which will help to detect diseases at an early stage.
Bringing care to the patient
The future trend in health care is to bring care to the patient instead of bringing the patient to a hospital. With the use of direct perovskite-based detectors, taking X-rays becomes easier, cheaper and safer. By turning it into a routine procedure, more people will benefit from this low-dose X-ray technology. And thanks to the improved image quality, diseases can be detected at an earlier stage, which will significantly reduce healthcare costs.