Whether looking to get a degree in x-ray technology or looking to learn a little more about that image your doctor took, it is helpful to know more about the history of the x-ray. From its humble beginnings as a study of light and atomic principles to its wondrous applications, the x-ray is an important part of human history as well as its future.
To help any medical student or history buff, we have gathered 10 interesting facts about the history of x-ray technology. They include everything from the components that had to be invented before the x-ray was invented to their present capacity to reach the edges of space.
- Cathode Ray Tube Discovery
In addition to help creating the radio, Karl Braun is also noted for his invention of the cathode ray tube. The CRT is a specialized vacuum tube in which images are produced when an electron beam strikes a phosphorescent surface and is still used in older model television sets. Invented in 1897, the cathode ray tube used a fluorescent screen and played an important part in x-ray history. - The Cathode Ray Experiment
Building on the experiments of other scientists, J.J. Thomson had a theory on the rays emitted from electrons and built a special cathode ray tube which could measure small electric charges. He found that by applying a magnetic field across the tube, there was no activity recorded by the electrometers and so the charge had been bent away by the magnet. This would be another important foundation for x-ray technology. - Discovery of the Electron
Although the existence of the electron was theorized, it was George Johnstone Stoney who first officially discovered them. In 1894, he proposed that electricity was made up of negative particles, to which the name “electrons” was given. Another important step in the development of the x-rays, the scientist who officially gave them birth died in 1911, and the internet still has his obituary here. - The Accident
In 1895, German Professor Wilhelm Roentgen had noticed a tube giving off a strange light and how it would cast shadows on paper. After a month of experimentation, he called his wife over to place her hand on a photographic plate. The result was the first x-ray and her wedding ring can even be seen in it. For this and resulting discoveries, he is known as the father of x-rays and even won a Nobel Prize for it. - First Medical Radiograph
Because the Roentgen experiment and results of the above could be so easily duplicated, it wasn’t long before the medical applications were being utilized. Dr. Edwin Frost is among the first to be credited in using one of the first medical radiographs in 1896. The linked picture shows it being used. - Discovery of Radiation
Why do x-ray techs were lead vests? Because even today, the machines can still put out a harmful amount of radiation. This was discovered in 1902, when Marie Sklodowska Curie, aka Madam Curie, isolated pure radium. In addition to discovering its dangers, she also used her scientific knowledge to develop radiation therapy as a treatment for cancer and lupus. - Coolidge X-ray Tubes
Up until 1913, x-rays had only been in use for medical problems, such as locating bullets in soldiers. Due to the high energy involved, x-rays were not practical for any other use. However, William Coolidge changed that with the invention of the high vacuum, or Coolidge, x-ray tubes. These tubes became a reliable source of x-rays that could operate at a high voltage and make them of use to other industries, including medical. - X-ray Crystallography
Before the 1940’s, it was thought an x-ray could only be useful when capturing a flat image. However, it was at this point in time that scientists first used the wave nature of an x-ray as a tool for finding structure. With applications towards many areas of science, this technique was instrumental in proposing the structure of DNA molecules. This researcher from Yale has more. - CAT Scan
The CAT scan, aka computed tomography scan, built on the principles of the x-ray to add a third dimension of medical imaging, as opposed to the two dimensional ones offered in previous x-ray technology. Robert Ledley is the official inventor of the machine in 1975, although Godfrey Hounsfield and Allan Cormack are also credited. - X-rays in Space
Because the use of x-rays is not just limited to looking inward,
there are applications in astronomy. One of the best known is the Chandra X-ray Observatory by NASA. Operating in space since 1999, Chandra detects and images X-ray sources that lie within our own system to those billions of light years away. Visit the official site to see the latest images, location, and how the observatory works.
Bonus Future Applications! And the above 10 interesting facts about the history of x-ray technology are only the past. As shown here, the future of x-ray technology includes lasers that can show the structure of atoms and molecules like never before.