X-rays, a type of high-energy electromagnetic wave, has always existed. However, it was not until the 19th century that these waves were observed by scientists. Wilhelm Röntgen is credited with inventing the X-ray, but today, Röntgen is the unit of measurement for radiation exposure. Curious?
Keep reading to learn more about other scientists who paved the way for Röntgen, his discovery of these high-energy waves, the early use of X-rays in medicine, and modern X-ray technology.
Early Observations of X-Rays
Before Röntgen, several researchers observed the effects of X-rays, but they did not know what they were looking at. In 1785, William Morgan set out to evaluate the conductivity of a perfect vacuum system and observed a “beautiful green light.” He presented this finding to the Royal Society in 1785, where other scientists began to explore this mysterious light.
However, the mystery of this green light would last for nearly a century. In the late 1800s, the invention of the incandescent light bulb inspired researchers' curiosity about electrical flow through air. A glass, vacuum-sealed tube containing a negatively charged area and a positively charged area was often used to generate a high-energy electron beam. Electrons were generated from the cathode and moved to the anode. This beam was called a cathode ray, while the tube was often called a Crooke’s tube.
In 1888, less than a decade before Röntgen’s discovery, Philipp Lenard sought to understand how electricity could be “carried,” believing dust in the air to be responsible for its movement. Lenard tested this theory by incorporating cathode rays into Crooke's tube with a window facing the cathode. The window was covered with aluminum foil; this was then termed the “Lenard tube.” Lenard observed that the cathode rays escaped passed the foil, traveled a few inches, and caused a screen to glow in the dark room.
In 1893, Leonard published these groundbreaking results. Unfortunately, Lenard’s research mentor died shortly after the publication, and he took time off from research to write memorials for his mentor. The discovery would have to wait.
An Accidental Discovery
A few years later, in 1895, German physics professor Wilhelm Röntgen was experimenting with Lenard tubes and Crookes tubes covered in cardboard to see if cathode rays could pass through glass. Similar to Lenard’s observations, Röntgen saw a chemical screen nearby glow while experimenting. Röntgen hypothesized that the cathode rays striking the glass tubes created a new kind of light ray. This new light ray interacted with the chemical screen, causing it to fluoresce.
Röntgen found that these rays could travel through paper, wood, and aluminum foil. A few days before Christmas, he used his X-ray instrument to take a film photograph of his wife’s hand, where her metal wedding ring was visible. Röntgen named these mysterious rays “X-rays” because the properties were unknown, but they were often referred to as Röntgen Rays. The first Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to Röntgen in 1901 for this discovery, although he donated all the prize money to his university and never applied for a patent.
Early Medical Applications
Early on, Röntgen wrote to many European physicians detailing the potential medical applications of his X-rays. Medical radiographs were used across Europe and the United States to help physicians in surgery within a few weeks of the discovery, transforming medical practices. Eventually, Cathode-ray tubes were replaced by more efficient X-ray sources.
During World War l and World War ll, X-ray technology played a crucial role in detecting injuries and foreign objects in soldiers. Mobile X-ray machines were used on battlefields to quickly provide aid to wounded soldiers. During this time, film images were blurry. Even more importantly, physicians didn't have a clear consensus on how much radiation to give patients for an X-ray. The effects of X-ray radiation were not known, but scientists such as Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla believed that these rays caused injuries in patients.
Modern X-ray Technology
Eventually, scientists came to understand the risks of X-ray radiation and how to give the correct dose of radiation. In the 1980s, digital radiography was developed. Here, electronic sensors capture images instead of films, allowing images to be immediately available to radiologists and technicians. Commercially available digital X-ray systems were introduced in the 1990s and, by the early 2000s, were being used all over. As technology evolves, improvements to these instruments continue to be made, such as sharper images and less radiation exposure for patients. Today, X-ray instruments are safe for patients and a reliable diagnostic tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Really Invented the X-Ray?
Several scientists observed X-rays before Röntgen was accredited with their discovery. However, their discovery could be attributed to several scientists. Philip Lenard helped pave the way for Röntgen through the invention of the Lenard tube and his published observations of a fluorescent glow. In 1905, Lenard was awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics for his work with cathode rays.
Was the X-Ray an Accidental Invention?
As with most discoveries in science, you cannot search for what you do not know is there. These early scientists were not searching for the X-ray. Instead, they were testing an unrelated hypothesis and happened to make unexplainable observations. It was Röntgen who took the time to uncover the reason behind the “glow.”
What Did Doctors Use Before X-Rays?
Life before X-ray technology was quite invasive. Until 1985, doctors could not “see” inside of patients. The exact location and severity of fractures, bullet wounds, and other foreign objects was a mystery. This made providing good medicine difficult for physicians. However, with modern X-ray technology and instruments today, these are problems of the past.
Final Thoughts
Digital X-ray machines and equipment make providing excellent patient care easy and reliable. Maven Imaging offers superior digital X-ray machines and equipment with high-quality images, less radiation, and safe storage, meeting all your radiographic needs.
