In 1895, German physics professor Wilhelm Röntgen stumbled upon x-rays while experimenting with Lenard and Crookes tubes. Since Röntgen’s discovery that x-rays can identify bone structures, they have been used for medical imaging. The first use of x-rays under clinical conditions was by John Hall-Edwards in Birmingham, England in 1896, when he radiographed a needle stuck in the hand of an associate.
Up until 2010, 5 billion medical imaging studies were been conducted worldwide, from radiographs to CT to fluoroscopy to radiotheraphy.
Here are some little-known facts about x-rays.
Glenn Miñano is a media specialist in the Department of Radiology, providing graphic design, photography, printing, video services, and administration of the department’s online properties. His works have been published in several medical articles, such as the American Journal of Radiology and the American Institute of Ultrasound. He has been providing these services to the Radiology Department since 1996.
