The history of radiology dates back to 1895, when Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen "discovered" X-rays, describing the properties of this previously unknown type of electromagnetic radiation in stunning detail. In the early 1900s, people began to use X-rays for a variety of things, even for purposes like learning aid! The medical use of X-rays was the only use that persisted, however, because the dangers of ionizing radiation were detected.
At first, all types of medical and non-medical specialists used x-rays in hospitals and clinics. Each of the doctors and nurses engineers and photographers could use x-rays, and usually they did not have any specialized training. However, a professional division of the medical community in the field of radiography was soon established. New and more secure diagnostic testing methods have been developed, and special training is required to operate the machines used for these tests. Radiographs appeared as a new type of medical specialist with special training to adapt to this new technology.
New technologies developed in the field of radiology during the 1940s, 60s, & 70s and 80, from fluoroscopy and mammography to tomography and ultrasound, to nuclear medicine and computed tomography. Magnetic resonance imaging, also known as MRI, appeared in the 1950s, although extensive research was not conducted until the 1970s, and the technology was not used in humans until 1984.
Digital radiography, also known as computed radiography, did not appear until the 1970s. This technology uses frames to create images for the phosphor to create digital images. The invention of the computed tomographic scanner or computed tomography was developed from an early application in 1967, which led to the creation of a prototype in 1971 by Allan Macleod Cormac and Godfrey Hounsfield.
Computers began to play a much larger role in the 1980s, when full PACS systems debuted and had a big impact on digital radiography. Radiographic images can now be saved in DICOM format, which is similar to JPEG, and can be sent and received via the Internet.
The greatest advances in radiology since the 1990s have been related to the availability, cost, and convenience of technology. The sharp decline in prices (and sizes) of electronic devices and personal computers has made digital medical imaging much more economical, allowing technology to spread further and affect more lives. As technology continues to evolve, who knows what the history of radiology will look like at the beginning of the next century?
