The History of Radiology

In 1890, Professor Arthur Willis Goodspeed, a professor of physics at Pennsylvania USA was working with an English born photographer, William N Jennings, when they accidentally produced a Rontgen Ray picture. Unfortunately, the significance of their findings were overlooked, and the formal discovery of X-rays was credited to Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895.

The discovery has since transformed the practice of medicine, and over the course of the past 130 years, the development of new radiological techniques has continued to grow. The impact has been seen in virtually every hospital in the world, from the routine use of Ultrasound for pregnancy scans, through to the diagnosis of complex medical issues such as brain tumours. More subtly, X-rays were also used in the discovery of DNA and in military combat, and their social influence through popular culture can be seen in cartoons, books, movies and art.

Written by two radiologists who have a passion for the history of their field, The History of Radiology is a beautifully illustrated review of the remarkable developments within radiology and the scientists and pioneers who were involved. This engaging and authoritative history will appeal to a wide audience including medical students studying for the Diploma in the History of Medicine of the Society of Apothecaries (DHMSA), doctors, medical physicists, medical historians and radiographers.

Adrian M. K. Thomas, President, The British Society for the History of Medicine and Clinical Director for Radiology, South London Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK,Arpan K. Banerjee, Consultant Radiologist, Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and Chairman British Society of History of Radiology, London, UK

Professor Adrian M. K. Thomas has been interested in history since his school days when he was taught by the author Glen Petrie. As an undergraduate at University College London he was privileged to study under Edwin Clarke, Jonathan Miller and Bill Bynum. After entering radiology he was a founder member of the British Society for the History of Radiology. He has written three books on the history of radiology and has given many talks and presentations. He is the honorary Librarian and Archivist of the British Institute of Radiology and the Clinical Director for Radiology for South London Healthcare NHS Trust. He is Chairman of the International Society for the History of Radiology and President of the British Society for the History of Medicine.

Dr Arpan K Banerjee qualified in medicine from St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in London, UK. He was appointed a consultant Radiologist at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital in 1995 and was also appointed an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Birmingham Medical School that year. From 2005 to 2007 he was president of the Radiology Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, London where he continues to serve on the Council. In 2012 he was appointed Chairman of the British Society of the History of Radiology of which he is a founder member and council member. He is a founder member and Treasurer of the International Society for the History of Radiology (ISHRAD). In 2011 he was appointed a member of the scientific programme committee of the Royal College of Radiologists. He is the author/co-author of 6 books including "Radiology Made Easy", and over a hundred articles including over 50 peer reviewed papers on medical, radiological and medical historical topics.

1. Wilhelm Rontgen and the discovery
2. Early radiology
3. Military radiology
4. Radiology and popular culture
5. Classical radiology
6. Computed tomographic (CT) scanning
7. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
8. Ultrasound
9. Digital imaging and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS)
10. Interventional radiology
11. A history of mammography
12. Nuclear medicine and radioactivity: from nuclear biology to molecular imaging
13. Review and the future
Appendix 1: Early British radiology journals
Appendix 2: Early British radiology societies
Appendix 3: Annotated bibliography and reading list