An apparatus (7) for detecting radiation, preferably x-ray radiation, the apparatus comprising at least one detector element (11) which comprises an absorber element (1) for the radiation and a nanowire (2) made of a superconducting material in thermally conducting communication with the absorber element (1), wherein cooling means (34) are provided in order to cool the absorber element (1) and the nanowire (2) to a temperature in the range of the transition temperature of the nanowire (2) in an operating state of the apparatus (7) and wherein an evaluation and control unit (6) is provided to determine whether the nanowire (2) is in a superconducting state or not. According to the invention it is provided that at least one heating means (8) which can be controlled by means of the evaluation and control unit (6) is provided in order to be able to supply a thermal energy pulse to the absorber element (1), wherein the evaluation and control unit (6) is designed to continuously supply energy pulses to the absorber element (1) in the operating state of the apparatus (7) as long as the nanowire (2) is in the superconducting state.