At the beginning of 2022, the short film series “Spirit of Scientists” was released on CCTV, with Xie Qingguo, professor of School of Life Science and Technology and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics at HUST, appearing in the film.

The short film follows the entire 19-year process of digital PET’s invention, encompassing theory exploration, detectors research and the whole machine development. Through the combined efforts of Xie Qingguo and his team, the digital PET has taken a leading position across the world, breaking the technological monopoly of international giants in the field of high-end medical devices, promoting China’s prominence in this field.

In 2001, Xie Qingguo led his “student soldiers” on the long march of digital PET research in a laboratory converted from an old iron-made house that had only basic conditions. In 2010, the team developed the world's first full digital PET for animals with sub-millimetre resolution. In 2014, Xie Qingguo decided to start the R&D on full digital PET for humans. It cannot be easy for a grassroots team to enter the high-end field of medical devices with the requirements of high threshold and high investment. Yet, the joint efforts of the team’s devotion and hard work combined with the trust and patronage of the Chinese National Science and Technology Department, which is like a “venture capitalist”, yielded impressive results, with the latter helping teams such as Xie Qingguo’s to realize the future of theoretical innovation and the large device development.

In May 2019, the world's first clinical digital PET/CT was granted the national medical device registration certificate and was officially approved for market use, which means major diseases such as cancer can be detected earlier, more accurately and faster and that PET imaging might enter a new era of high-definition and precise quantification.  

The short film mainly shows the scientists’ pragmatic spirit and pioneering nature and their discipline in pushing ahead, praising their distinguished accomplishment.

The scientists featured in the short films were also nominated as the "Top 10 Figures of scientific innovation in 2019" at a technology ceremony for CCTV. The award symbolizes the 7 facets of scientists in this age, including innovation, responsibility, sentiment, challenge, leadership, future, among which Xie Qingguo represents “leadership”. From his perspective, leading other people forward is not only an honor, but also a responsibility. As a brand-new technology, to make digital PET a real success, it needs a wide application and constant improvement and benefits for all people and it is well on its way to fulfilling that obligation.

Written by: Qu Mengting

Edited by: Chen Yuan, Andrew, Jiang Jing