Philips will work with the Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University, the Vavilov State Optical Institute, and the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute in the five-year research project, which will focus on the development of scintillation materials to improve the sensitivity of the detectors used in CT, PET, and SPECT scanners. The company believes the effort could ultimately lead to shorter scan times, lower radiation doses, or enhanced image quality.

Philips said it will be investing up to 2.5 million euros ($3.1 million U.S.) in the program, including direct funding and in-kind support, including research staff. The institutes will also contribute to the development of new computer algorithms for more efficient image reconstruction and processing.

The Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University will serve as the hub for coordinating the research, and connecting the three Russian centers as well as existing research laboratories in the Netherlands, Germany, and France, Philips said.

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