Siemens Healthineers has signed a technology licensing agreement with Kromek Group, a UK-based company specializing in radiation detection solutions, to support in-house production of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) material for gamma ray detectors used in SPECT systems.

The agreement allows Siemens Healthineers to incorporate Kromek’s technology into its research, development, and manufacturing processes, potentially leading to a new line of CZT-based gamma ray detectors for multi-modal SPECT systems.

“Bringing this production technology in-house is a key step to optimizing the process and material for our own applications,” said Jim Williams, head of the molecular imaging business at Siemens Healthineers.

Siemens Healthineers plans to expand its CZT research while continuing to develop its sodium iodide (NaI)-based SPECT systems, which remain widely used for various nuclear medicine applications, including theranostics.

CZT enables direct gamma ray detection without the need for conversion to optical light, providing high-energy resolution that can enhance detector and system performance.

“We are vertically integrated in all our molecular imaging detector material technologies for both PET and SPECT,” Williams said. “This vertical integration allows us to precisely tune performance and optimize cost for our clinical systems.”

Last December, the company finalized its acquisition of Advanced Accelerator Applications Molecular Imaging from Novartis, broadening its footprint in the production and distribution of PET radiopharmaceuticals.

The deal, first reported in August, enhanced Siemens Healthineers' PETNET Solutions network of 47 U.S.-based radiopharmacies by adding 13 manufacturing sites across Europe, including locations in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany.

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