BLUE RIBBON POSTER IMAGING: Wide-Range Radiation Detection from Diagnostic X-Rays to Radiotherapy Proton Beams Based on Perovskite Scintillator
Abstract
Purpose
To develop a dual-mode radiation detector based on a novel perovskite scintillator for X‑ray and proton beam detection in clinical practice, addressing critical bottlenecks in long‑term stability, spatial resolution, and cost of current detectors, with the ultimate goal of improving treatment accuracy and patient safety.
Methods
Single crystal scintillator was synthesized via a cooling crystallization method. Their photophysical and scintillation mechanisms were investigated using steady‑state photoluminescence spectroscopy, X‑ray excited luminescence, and density functional theory calculations. Sensitivity and linear response were tested with a medical diagnostic X‑ray source (50–150 keV), while light output, flux linearity, detection limit, and irradiation stability were assessed under clinical proton beams (70–220 MeV) delivered by a Varian ProBeam system. A flexible film detector was fabricated and integrated into a prototype imaging setup for real‑time proton beam visualization and high‑resolution X‑ray imaging.
Results
The scintillator exhibited outstanding performance: a high light yield of 55,260 photons/MeV, reaching 96.9% of commercial CsI. It showed an excellent linear response to X‑ray dose rate, with a detection limit of 0.54 μGy/s. Under clinical proton irradiation (70–220 MeV), its signal maintained a strict linear relationship with proton flux over four orders of magnitude, achieving a detection limit of 1.34×10⁴ p/s. The detector demonstrated remarkable stability, with minimal signal drift over 10 irradiation cycles and less than 3% degradation after 81 days . The flexible film detector enabled high‑resolution ( 58.1 μm) X‑ray imaging of complex structures and real‑time visualization of proton beam position, size, and trajectory.
Conclusion
This work presents a low‑cost, high‑performance, and stable perovskite scintillator detector capable of wide‑energy linear detection from X‑rays to proton beams. Its superior real‑time beam visualization and high‑resolution imaging offer a promising solution for quality assurance and image guidance in proton therapy, holding significant potential in the precision and safety of clinical radiotherapy workflows.