How CT happened: the early development of medical computed tomography

Raymond A. Schulz; Jay A. Stein; Norbert J. Pelc

doi:10.1117/1.JMI.8.5.052110

29 October 2021 How CT happened: the early development of medical computed tomography

Raymond A. Schulz, Jay A. Stein, Norbert J. Pelc

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Journal of Medical Imaging, Vol. 8, Issue 5, 052110 (October 2021). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMI.8.5.052110

Abstract

As we arrive at the 50th anniversary of the first computed tomography (CT) scan of a live patient, we take this opportunity to revisit the history of early CT development. It is not an exaggeration to say that the invention of CT may represent the greatest revolution in medical imaging since the discovery of x-rays. We cover events over a period of about two decades that started with the realization that accurate cross-sectional soft-tissue detail is possible and could be a significant advance. We describe in some detail the development of the first CT system and then the rapid technical advances during the following years that included the entry of many companies into the field and the circumstances that led many of those entrants to exit the field. Rather than focusing on the specific technical details (which can be found elsewhere), we include stories and events in the hope that broader lessons can be learned. As the first x-ray-based digital imaging modality, CT brought into common use an exceptional tool that benefits countless patients every day. It also introduced dramatic changes to biomedical imaging as a field that continues to influence progress to this day.

CC BY: © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

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Raymond A. Schulz, Jay A. Stein, and Norbert J. Pelc "How CT happened: the early development of medical computed tomography," Journal of Medical Imaging 8(5), 052110 (29 October 2021). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMI.8.5.052110

Published: 29 October 2021

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