Siemens Healthineers licenses CZT Technology for advanced SPECT Imaging

USA—Siemens Healthineers has entered a strategic agreement with Kromek Group Plc, a UK-based leader in radiation detection technology, to license Kromek’s innovation for producing cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) material.

 This collaboration aims to enhance the production of gamma-ray detectors in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems.

CZT material is crucial for the next generation of SPECT technology, which is widely used in medical imaging to diagnose a range of conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders.

The agreement will enable Siemens Healthineers to produce CZT in-house, expanding their research, development, and manufacturing capabilities.

This move is a significant step in their long-term strategy to develop advanced gamma-ray detectors, especially for multi-modal SPECT systems.

These systems combine SPECT imaging with other imaging techniques, providing physicians with more detailed and accurate results.

Jim Williams, Head of the Molecular Imaging business at Siemens Healthineers, highlighted the importance of this deal, stating that bringing the production of CZT material in-house is a key step to optimizing both the process and the material for their specific applications.

This will allow Siemens to have greater control over the production process, ensuring that the material meets the company’s high standards for quality and performance.

In addition to advancing CZT-based systems, Siemens Healthineers is continuing to develop sodium iodide (NaI)- based SPECT technologies.

Sodium iodide is a well-established material used in SPECT systems, and its flexibility allows it to be used across a wide range of nuclear medicine applications, including theranostics, which combines therapy and diagnostics for personalized treatment.

CZT technology offers significant advantages over sodium iodide, as it can detect gamma radiation at room temperature without converting it to optical light.

This characteristic provides high-energy resolution, which is essential for developing more sensitive and precise detectors and imaging systems.

Williams noted that Siemens is vertically integrated in all its molecular imaging technologies, including those used for positron emission tomography (PET) and SPECT.

This vertical integration allows the company to fine-tune performance and optimize the cost of clinical systems, benefiting healthcare providers and patients.

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