The Origin of the Radiological Technologist

Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
- Gauguin

We all know how the story of X-rays began. Remember? On November 8, 1895, Roentgen was in his lab, passing electrical current through a Hittorf tube which was completely contained within a black cardboard box. He was testing the box for light tightness and before he had the chance to test the penetration of cathode rays through the wall of the tube, he noticed the barium platinocyanide screen glowing from across the room (Dewing, 1962, p.28). The rest is history. In a sense, Roentgen was the first radiological technologist.

Roentgen published the first paper on “A New Kind of Rays” in the Wurzburg Physical-Medical Society’s 1895 volume of “Transactions”. Within a few days, newspapers all over the world were announcing the discovery (Dewing, 1962, p.32). Almost everybody was interested in Roentgen’s discovery. Many were reproducing his experiment, everyone from the layman to the professional.

In 1896, the first textbook on radiography was published, “Practical Radiography” by H. S. Ward (Kelves, 1997, p. 304). Also in 1896, books were being published for the general reader (Trevert, 1896/1988). In the beginning, many people were practicing radiography including physicians, physicists, engineers, electricians, nurses, hospital orderlies, photographers, and con artists. By 1905, physicians had gained control of the practice of radiography (Dewing, 1962, p.83). Although, these physicians did employ assistants who worked with them in imaging patients (Dewing, 1962, p.84).

The profession of the Radiographer had been born. In 1896, Elizabeth Fleischmann became a pioneering radiographer. Fleischmann mastered the technique of radiography within a year. She opened the first X-ray laboratory in California. She was the only professional radiographer advertised in the state of California until 1910 (Palmquist, 1990). Fleischmann’s work was noted by the surgeon general to have “nice adjustment of the ray according to the density or character of the object when she desires to photograph” (Kelves, 1997, p.41). She took radiographs from a variety of angles in order to locate the injury more precisely in space (Kelves, 1997).

Fleischmann examining a patient with a fluoroscope (Palmquist, 1990).

In 1935, the formal training of student radiographers began in New South Wales in an “attempt to raise the standard of X-ray technical work and to give the skilled radiographers an adequate status” (Bentley, 2005, p. 45). This training was primarily practical. The first theoretical training began in 1917. In the 1930s, students were to complete 500 radiographic procedures unaided. In 1945, students were required 2 years of training before being able to write the examination. In time, training programs moved from hospital-based programs, into technical colleges (Bentley, 2005).

Today, many training programs have moved into Universities as an undergraduate degree, while some remain in colleges. Additionally, some Universities offer graduate level studies geared towards radiological technologists. The professional roles of radiological technologists vary geographically. Nonetheless, it is constant that the role is continually changing.

To understand the present you must understand the past. History shows us where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

Bentley, H. B. (2005). Early days of radiography. Radiography, 11, 45-50.

Dewing, S. B. (1962). Modern Radiology in Historical Perspective. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher

Kelves, B. (1997). Naked to the Bone: Medical Imaging in the Twentieth Century. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press

Palmquist, P. E. (1990). Elizabeth Fleischmann: A Tribute. Retrieved from http://www.cla.purdue.edu/WAAW/palmquist/Photographers/FleischmannEssay.htm

Trevert, E. (1988). Something About X-rays for Everybody. Madison, WI: Medical Physics Publishing Corporation (Original work published 1896. Lynn, MA: Bubier Publishing)