Wilhelm Röntgen

Röntgen reported a new penetrating radiation in 1895 and demonstrated its imaging potential.

While experimenting with a cathode-ray tube in Würzburg, Röntgen observed radiation that passed through soft tissue more readily than bone. His rapid publication and radiographs prompted worldwide investigation. The now-famous image of his wife's hand made the discovery immediately understandable: bones and a ring appeared as shadows beneath living tissue. Röntgen declined to patent the technique, and laboratories and hospitals quickly began reproducing his experiments.

Sources

• Medical Imaging: From Roentgen to the Digital Revolution, and Beyond — Hedvig Hricak et al., 2018