Radiation Production & History: X-ray Discovery to Modern Imaging

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms, people, devices, and concepts from the lecture notes on X-ray discovery, radioactivity, and imaging history.

X-ray

A form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation that can pass through soft tissues and be absorbed by dense materials, enabling non-invasive internal imaging.

Crookes tube

An early vacuum tube used to study cathode rays; essential in Roentgen’s experiments leading to the discovery of X-rays.

Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen

German physicist who discovered X-rays in 1895 and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901; did not patent his discovery.

Barium platinocyanide

Phosphorescent screen coating that glows when struck by X-rays, allowing visualization of X-ray exposure.

Radiology

Medical specialty focused on imaging the body (e.g., X-rays, CT, MRI) for diagnosis and treatment.

Radioactivity

Spontaneous emission of energy as particles or waves from unstable atomic nuclei.

Henri Becquerel

French physicist who discovered natural radioactivity in 1896; shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for radioactivity.

Uranium

A radioactive element used in Becquerel’s experiments; emits energy and radiation.

Pitchblende

Uranium ore richer in radioactive elements, leading to the discovery of polonium and radium.

Polonium

A highly radioactive element discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898; named after Marie Curie’s homeland, Poland.

Radium

A highly radioactive element discovered by the Curies in 1898; used in early cancer therapy and luminous paints.

Marie Curie

Polish-born physicist who discovered polonium and radium; first woman to win a Nobel Prize and later won a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Pierre Curie

French physicist who co-discovered polonium and radium with Marie Curie; Nobel Prize laureate.

Nuclear physics

Field of physics studying atomic nuclei, radioactivity, and nuclear processes.

Radiation therapy

Treatment of disease (notably cancer) using ionizing radiation.

Nobel Prize in Physics 1901

Award given to Wilhelm Roentgen for the discovery of X-rays.

Nobel Prize in Physics 1903

Award given to Becquerel (and the Curies) for their work on radioactivity.

Godfrey Hounsfield

Engineer who developed the CT scanner in 1972; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1979.

Allan Cormack

Physicist who provided the mathematical groundwork for CT imaging; co-winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize.

Raymond Damadian

Pioneer of MRI; developed the first MRI scanner in the 1970s and demonstrated cancerous tissue signals differ.

Paul Lauterbur

Co-inventor of MRI with spatial encoding; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003.

Sir Peter Mansfield

Co-inventor of MRI techniques and rapid imaging; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003.

CT scanner

Computed Tomography device that creates cross-sectional body images by combining X-ray data with computer reconstruction.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Imaging modality that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to visualize internal structures and tissue differences.

Interventional radiology

Radiology field focusing on catheter-based, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Charles Dotter

Pioneer of interventional radiology; performed the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in 1964.

Ian Donald

Early adopter of ultrasound in obstetrics (1950s), greatly improving prenatal care.

Andrei Denisier

Inventor noted for improving X-ray tubes and developing rotating anode tubes for higher output imaging.

Frederick Jones

Co-invented portable X-ray machines and mobile refrigeration to support medical transport and field imaging.

Emil Grubbe

Early physician who used X-rays for cancer therapy in 1896, a precursor in radiation oncology.

Intensifying screen

Device that converts X-rays to visible light to reduce patient exposure and speed up imaging.

Michael Pupin

Inventor of the intensifying screen, improving X-ray imaging efficiency.

Gustav Bucky

Developed the stationary grid in 1913 to reduce scatter in radiographs, improving image clarity.

Potter-Bucky diaphragm

Moving grid system developed by Hollerith Potter to further reduce scatter without grid lines on film.

George Eastman

Founder of Kodak; developed flexible photographic film and mass-produced radiographic film.

Thomas Edison

Inventor of the fluoroscope, enabling real-time X-ray viewing; promoted imaging but left the field after Dally’s death.

Clarence Dally

Edison's assistant; first American martyr to radiation exposure; died from radiation-related cancer in 1904.

Fluoroscope

Real-time X-ray viewing device enabling live imaging during procedures.

Lead aprons and protective barriers

Safety measures used to limit radiation exposure to patients and healthcare workers.