On characterizing X-ray detectors for low-dose imaging

The last decade has seen a renewed exploration of semiconductor materials for X-ray detection, foremost focusing on lead-based perovskites and other metal halides as direct-conversion materials and scintillators. However, the reported performance characteristics are often incomplete or misleading in assessing the practical utility of materials. This Perspective offers guidelines for choosing, estimating and presenting the relevant figures of merit. We also provide ready-to-used tools for calculating these figures of merit: MATLAB application, Mathcad worksheet and a website. The X-ray detectors for medical imaging are at focus for their increasing societal value and since they bring about the most stringent requirements as the image shall be acquired at as low as reasonably attainable (i.e. ALARA principle) dose received by the patient.