Photon Counting CT: Technical Principles, Clinical Applications, and Future Prospects

Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) is a new technique that utilizes photon-counting detectors to convert individual X-ray photons directly into an electrical signal, which can achieve higher spatial resolution, improved iodine signal, radiation dose reduction, artifact reduction, and multienergy imaging. This review introduces the technical principles of PCCT, and summarizes its first-in-human experience and current applications in clinical settings, and discusses the future prospects of PCCT.