Key figures in the history of radiology

In the history of radiology certain key figures stand out for their groundbreaking contributions to the establishment and development of radiology as a science, medical specialty and major advance in patient care. This list is by necessity arbitrary, although we (the editors) hope that the majority of those listed will not be controversial selections. However, we recognize that the list is not exhaustive nor anywhere near 'complete' and we would welcome the inclusion of additional 'worthy' individuals.

For each individual on the following list, we have provided a few short words of their key accomplishment. List is in surname alphabetical order.

• Manoel de Abreu: developed chest photofluorography

• James Ambrose: pioneer of CT as a clinical tool

• Antoine Béclère

• Antoine Henri Becquerel: discovered radioactivity

• Gustav P Bucky: invented his eponymous antiscatter grid

• James Bull

• John Caffey

• Eugene W Caldwell

• Kathleen "Kitty" Clark: standardized radiographic techniques and education

• John Wesley Coltman

• William D Coolidge: invented revolutionary x-ray tube

• Allan M Cormack: developed physics underpinning CT

• Marie Curie: discoverer of radioactivity and new chemical elements

• Ray V Damadian: developer of MRI

• Walter E Dandy:  pioneered pneumoencephalography

• Ian Donald: developer of medical ultrasound

• Charles T Dotter: father of interventional radiology

• Thomas A Edison: invented fluoroscopy

• Ben Felson: ​popularized Aunt Minnie, silhouette sign, chest x-ray textbook

• Felix Fleischner: chest radiology eponyms

• Jacques Forestier: co-developed positive contrast myelography

• Charles Thurstan Holland: established radiology as a standalone specialty

• Godfrey N Hounsfield: developer of CT

• Frederic Joliot

• Irene Joliot-Curie

• Peter Kerley: co-founder Faculty of Radiology (UK) 

• Alban Köhler: writer of a classic text, still in print!

• David E Kuhl: developer of PET

• Ronald Grainger

• Paul C Lauterbur: developer of MRI

• John Macintyre

• Peter Mansfield: developer of MRI

• Egas Moniz: developer of cerebral angiography

• Philip E S Palmer

• Stig Radner: pioneered aortography by radial artery catheterization

• Johann Radon: described mathematics enabling tomography

• Maurice M Reeder: writer of classic text on gamuts

• Wilhelm C Roentgen: discoverer of x-rays

• Sydney D Rowland: founding editor of first-ever radiology journal

• Albert Salomon: first breast radiologist

• Arthur Schüller: "father" of neuroradiology

• Sven-Ivar Seldinger: creator of pioneering eponymous technique

• Jean-Athanase Sicard: co-developed positive contrast myelography

• Albert Soiland: established radiology as a specialty in the USA

• Robert Steiner

• Florence Stoney: radiology pioneer, first female radiologist in UK

• Juan M Taveras: co-founder of American Society of Neuroradiology, founding editor of the American Journal of Neuroradiology

• Colonel William L Thompson: establishing radiologic pathology through work with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

• Alessandro Vallebona: pioneer of tomography

• Henry Snowden Ward

• Ian Young

• Bernard G Ziedses des Plantes: pioneer of tomography​