Surrey paves the way for safer X-rays

Use of digital flat panel detectors has enabled radiographers to examine X-rays more quickly compared with old-fashioned X-ray sensitive photographic films, and to make quicker diagnoses. 

However, flat panels are not suited to the complex shape and geometry of the human body, the Surrey team said, and reliance on flat panels means there is unavoidable distortion around the edges of images. Flat panels also prevent an accurate registration of the X-ray dose delivered, a key feature toward enabling safer radiation therapy and minimising secondary tumours.

Efforts to create flexible detectors have so far been unsuccessful due to the brittle characteristics of the rigid inorganic semiconductors used to make them. Some curvature has been achieved through using a thinner layer of semiconductor, but this has compromised performance levels and resulted in poor quality images.

Image processing algorithm makes X-rays safer for children

Published in Advanced Science, a study from Surrey University’s Advanced Technology Institute identifies design rules for a special class of ‘inorganic in organic’ semiconductors.