Photon-counting CT is an innovative advancement primed to redefine the field of clinical imaging. Unlike traditional CT systems that rely on energy-integrating detectors, photon-counting CT employs Pioneering energy-sensitive x-ray detectors to both count individual photons and measure their energy levels. This breakthrough enables greater contrast-to-noise ratio, sharper spatial resolution and enhanced spectral imaging. The technology holds promise for minimizing radiation exposure, producing high-resolution images, correcting beam-hardening distortions, maximizing the efficiency of contrast agents and paving the way for more precise and data-driven imaging methods. This review examines the core foundations of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector technology, uncovering how it has been expertly adapted for photon-counting CT applications. Additionally, it sheds light on ongoing research challenges and explores innovative strategies aimed at pushing the boundaries of medical imaging to unprecedented levels.
John et al. (Mon,) studied this question.