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A Game Changer:
How China's Domestic CT Technology Overtook the Competition
Recently, the medical world was abuzz with a major announcement: China's first photon-counting spectral CT scanner has been approved for market launch. This is a monumental achievement, considering that previously, only two foreign companies had successfully commercialized this technology, which has an incredibly high entry barrier. What is the secret weapon behind this breakthrough? And what dramatic changes will it bring to the medical industry in China and worldwide? Let's dive in and uncover the story behind this innovation.

1. The Technical Leap: From "Black and White" to "Color"
Traditional CT scanners are like old black and white photographs—they give you a general idea, but many details are blurry. Why? Because they use scintillation detectors. These detectors must first convert X-rays into visible light, which is then converted into an electronic signal by a photodiode. This two-step process causes the energy information of individual X-ray photons to be lost, significantly reducing image clarity.
In contrast, China's new photon-counting spectral CT is a complete game changer. It's equipped with a semiconductor detector that directly converts X-ray photons into an electrical signal, precisely measuring the energy information of each photon. This is like upgrading a black-and-white photo to a full-color one, allowing doctors to view multi-spectral images of different components in human tissue, such as iodine, calcium, water, and soft tissue. The result is more intuitive and accurate diagnostic information.
For example, United Imaging Healthcare’s photon-counting spectral CT reduced the detector pixel area by 1/9 to achieve ultra-high-resolution imaging. What does this mean? It means previously undetectable micro-lesions can now be seen clearly. The R&D team also developed innovative calibration and reconstruction algorithms to solve the problem of reduced signal intensity that comes with smaller pixels, ensuring high image quality. It's like upgrading a camera lens—you can see more clearly, and the photos aren't blurry.
This is a significant step forward, especially when you consider that Siemens Healthineers has long dominated the high-end medical equipment market. Its NAEOTOM Alpha photon-counting CT is considered an industry benchmark. With its innovative technology, it was the only photon-counting CT scanner to have received the stringent triple certifications from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European CE Mark, and China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The FDA even called it "the most significant technological breakthrough in CT in the last decade," which garnered global attention at the time.
The shift from traditional to photon-counting spectral CT is more than just a technological upgrade; it's a visual revolution. It enables doctors to detect diseases earlier and more accurately, giving patients valuable time for treatment. China's domestic equipment has successfully overtaken the competition in this technological race, showcasing the country's scientific strength. As the technology continues to mature, photon-counting spectral CT is poised to become a mainstream diagnostic tool, bringing benefits to patients worldwide.