Dionysios Linardatos

This study examines the luminescence performance of two single-crystal scintillators under X-ray excitation, as a function of temperature. Two identical cubic samples of bismuth germanate (Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂-BGO) and barium fluoride (BaF₂) crystals are irradiated by a medical-type X-ray source, and their luminescence output is collected and measured while they are heated from room temperature up to 174 °C. The luminescence efficiencies of BGO and BaF₂ scintillators decreased by 87.5% and 79.48%, respectively, with increasing temperature. BGO showed higher luminescence efficiency results in most of the examined temperature range; however, BaF₂ minimized the differences at temperatures approaching 174 °C. The combination of economic accessibility and thermal performance at higher temperatures renders BaF₂ a good choice for harsh environments and large-scale applications where budget and durability are as critical as performance.

Scintillating screens for X-ray imaging applications are prepared with various methods. Among them, the classic sedimentation method presents certain weak points. In this context, a novel fabrication process was developed that offers simplicity, economy of resources and time, while the screens exhibit adequate durability and image quality performance. The proposed technique involves a resin mixture that contains the phosphor in powder form (Gd₂O₂S:Tb in the present work) and graphite. The novel method was optimized and validated by coupling the screens to a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) X-ray sensor. Indicatively, screens of two surface densities were examined; 34 mg/cm² and 70 mg/cm². Various established image quality metrics were calculated following the IEC 62220-1 international standard, including the detective quantum efficiency (DQE). Comparisons were carried out under the same conditions, with a sedimentation screen reported previously and a screen of wide commercial circulation (Carestream Min-R 2190). The novel screens exhibit has comparable or even better performance in image-quality metrics. The 34 mg/cm² screen achieves a DQE 15–20% greater than its comparison counterpart, and its limiting resolution was 5.3 cycles/mm. The detector coupled to the 70 mg/cm² screen achieved a DQE 10–24% greater than its own counterpart, and its limiting resolution was found to be 5.4 cycles/mm.

Background: In this research, the response of a 10 × 10 × 10 mm³ commercially available PbF₂ crystal was experimentally assessed under X-ray and gamma ray radiation to verify the possible application of this material in X-ray medical imaging. Methods: The measurements were performed under X-ray from 50 to 130 kVp and gamma ray excitation (Tc-99m 140 keV and I-131 365 keV). The PbF₂ response was experimentally assessed by the determination of the absolute luminescence efficiency (AE), X-ray luminescence efficiency (XLE), and the stopping power of this scintillating crystal in terms of the energy absorption efficiency (EAE). The results were compared with bismuth germanate (BGO) crystal, which is commonly used in medical imaging modalities. Results: The AE of PbF₂ gradually decreased from 50 kVp up to 130 kVp. The maximum value was 0.61 efficiency units (EU) at 140 keV, and the minimum value was 0.03 EU at 71 keV (130 kVp). Similarly, low values appeared for the XLE, where the maximum value was 16.9 × 10⁻⁵ at 140 keV. Conclusions: These findings show that the PbF₂ scintillator has unacceptably low luminescence efficiency. Although PbF₂ can effectively absorb radiation, the scintillation light, at room temperatures, is negligible, and, thus, it could not be used in medical imaging applications in the examined energy range.

A rare-earth trihalide scintillator, CeBr₃, in 1 cm edge cubic monocrystal form, is examined with regard to its principal luminescence and scintillation properties, as a candidate for radiation imaging applications. This relatively new material exhibits attractive properties, including short decay time, negligible afterglow, high stopping power and emission spectrum compatible with several commercial optical sensors. In a setting typical for X-ray radiology (medical X-ray tube, spectra in the range 50–140 kVp, human chest equivalent filtering), the crystal’s light energy flux, absolute efficiency (AE) and X-ray luminescence efficiency (XLE) were determined. Light energy flux results are superior in comparison to other four materials broadly used in modern medical imaging (slope of the linear no-threshold fit was 29.5). The AE is superior from 90 kVp onwards and reaches a value of 29.5 EU at 140 kVp. The same is true for the XLE that, following a flat response, reaches 9 × 10⁻³ at 90 kVp. Moreover, the spectral matching factors and the respective effective efficiencies (EE) are calculated for a variety of optical sensors. The material exhibits full compatibility with all the flat-panel arrays and most of the photocathodes and Si PMs considered in this work, a factor that proves its suitability for use in state-of-the-art medical imaging applications, such as CT detectors and planar arrays for projection imaging.

Scintillators with high light yield (LY) values are of interest for medical imaging applications, in harsh environments, nondestructive testing (NDT), etc. CeBr3 has a LY of 60000 photons per MeV, a value much higher than other efficient materials, such as Lu3Al5O12:Ce (25000 photons/MeV); thus, its X-ray detection properties would be of interest to be examined for medical imaging applications. The X-ray detection and absorption properties of a single crystal CeBr3 sample along with the compatibility of its produced light with various optoelectronic sensors were examined. In this study, the quantum detection (QDE) and the energy absorption efficiency (EAE) of CeBr3 were calculated. The findings were compared with data for 10 × 10 × 10   m m 3 Lu3Al5O12:Ce and CaF2:Eu single crystals. The measured optical spectrum produced by CeBr3 was well correlated with the spectral response of commercial optical sensors, yielding spectral matching higher than 93% for various photocathodes, e.g., GaAs (94%), E-S20 (95%), and bialkali and multialkali (95-97%), as well as with flat panel position-sensitive photomultipliers (95-99%). The energy absorption properties of CeBr3 were found higher than those of Lu3Al5O12:Ce and CaF2:Eu for X-ray tube voltages greater than 100 kVp. The quantum detection efficiency was 100% across the examined energy range. Even though CeBr3 is hygroscopic and has a mediocre 5.1 g/cm3 density, the QDE, EAE, and spectral correlation results are promising for medical imaging applications.

Certain imaging performance metrics are examined for a state-of-the-art 20 μm pixel pitch CMOS sensor (RadEye HR), coupled to a Gd₂O₂S:Tb scintillator screen. The signal transfer property (STP), the modulation transfer function (MTF), the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were estimated according to the IEC 62220-1-1:2015 standard. The detector exhibits excellent linearity (coefficient of determination of the STP linear regression fit, R² was 0.9978), while its DQE peaks at 33% and reaches 10% at a spatial frequency of 3 cycles/mm, for the measured with a Piranha RTI dosimeter (coefficient of variation CV = 0.03%) exposure value of 28.1 μGy DAK (detector Air Kerma). The resolution capabilities of the X-ray detector under investigation were compared to other commercial CMOS sensors, and were found in every case higher, except from the previous RadEye HR model (CMOS—Gd₂O₂S:Tb screen pair with 22.5 μm pixel pitch) version which had slightly better MTF. The present digital imager is designed for industrial inspection applications, nonetheless its applicability to medical imaging, as well as dual-energy is considered and certain approaches are discussed in this respect.

In this study, the light output of a zinc selenide activated with tellurium (ZnSe: Te) single crystal was measured for X-ray radiography applications. A cubic crystal (10 × 10 × 10 mm) was irradiated using X-rays with tube voltages from 50 to 130 kV. The resulting energy absorption efficiency, detective quantum efficiency, and absolute luminescence efficiency were compared to published data for equally sized GSO: Ce (gadolinium orthosilicate) and BGO (bismuth germanium oxide) crystals. The emitted light was examined to estimate the spectral compatibility with widely used optical sensors. Energy absorption efficiency and detective quantum efficiency of ZnSe: Te and BGO were found to be similar, within the X-ray energies in question. Light output of all three crystals showed a tendency to increase with increasing X-ray tube voltage, but ZnSe: Te stood at least 2 EU higher than the others. ZnSe: Te can be coupled effectively with certain complementary metal–oxide–semiconductors (CMOS), photocathodes, and charge-coupled-devices (CCD), as the effective luminescence efficiency results assert. These properties render the material suitable for various imaging applications, dual-energy arrays included.