Introduction

The suggestion to undertake a history of dioactivity, electrons, and gamma rays in the first 40 years of our organization re- the last few years of the nineteenth century, called the celebration of the Fortieth Anni- research on their nature continued dramati- versary of the Hospital Physicists’ Associa- cally with increasing attention from a tion in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1983. With growing number of physicists. Most of the respect to an inquiry as to their choice of discoveries that have initiated our field 40 years, the somewhat pragmatic observa- could be classified under such terms as tion was made that this allowed most of the ‘‘radiation physics’’ and ‘‘nuclear phys- pioneers of the organization to be present! ics’’ and have been well described in many In fact, most of them were present, and an texts, exemplified in the review by E. Segre excellent history was published on that in From X-Rays To Quarks.5 Detailed re- occasion.1 views of the life and major contributions of Physicists had already, during the pre- early radiation researchers have been care- ceding centuries, made significant contribu- fully researched by Del Regato and pub- tions to medical diagnosis and treatment. lished in his books and articles6–8 and in Even the term ‘‘medical physics’’ had been the pages of Medical Physics and other ra- employed by Neil Arnott in his book pub- diation publications.9–11 lished in 1828,2 and A. Fick had entitled In addition, significant reviews were his book Medical Physics in 1856.3 prepared for the November 1995 Radiology In the latter half of the nineteenth cen- Centennial and published in journals at that tury the phenomena associated with electri- time. An insightful article was prepared by cal discharge in glass-walled tubes oper- Rossi and Kellerer on ‘‘Roentgen’’ and ated with relatively low gaseous pressures published in the November 1995 issue of were studied by several physicists. In Brit- Radiation Research.12 Four essays on ma- ain, William Crookes, J. J. Thomson, and jor creators of our scientific origin were others were active in analysis of the phe- prepared for and published in the Novem- nomena of the discharge in tubes of differ- ber 1995 issue of Medical Physics.13–16 In ent designs. Investigators in Germany in- particular, the background in German sci- cluded Lenard, Hittorf, and, in 1895, ence relevant to Roentgen’s approach was Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, with his revo- illuminated in the essay by Ulf Rosenow of lutionary discovery of x rays together with the University of Go¨ttingen in his ‘‘Notes his initial description of their attenuation on the legacy of the Roentgen rays.’’ He properties in specific materials.4 Such stud- also commented on the complications due ies were in sufficient number to warrant the to the current concept of a surrounding commercial supply of discharge tubes of ether and on Roentgen’s emphasis on ex- different designs by several manufacturers. periment rather than theory; Jean and An- Following the discoveries of x rays, ra- dre´e Dutreix brought out the adherence to

1235 Med. Phys. 25 „7…, July 1998, Part 2 0094-2405/98/25„7…/1235/149/$10.00 © 1998 Am. Assoc. Phys. Med. 1235 1236 J. S. Laughlin and P. N. Goodwin: History of the AAPM: 1958–1998 1236 logic, which brought Bequerel to his dis- provides lists of Officers, of Awardees of covery of radioactivity and also aroused the AAPM, and other statistical informa- such public interest in science in France as tion. to insure more public participation and sup- port of a field of endeavor in which entry had been ordinarily limited; Jean Chavaudra provided an interesting account ACKNOWLEDGMENTS of the families, life, and background of Many different sources of information both Marie Sklodowska and Pierre Curie, have been involved in the collection of in- the major problems they faced, and the formation for this History. Videotapes of unique equipment they utilized together the former presidents, obtained in inter- with the skills they developed; and Mon- views by Bob Gorson, have been invalu- tague Cohen and Nigel Trott collaborated able and Bob has been very helpful on on an account of the continuing search for other aspects, as well. All of the Quarterly characterization of the new radiations, the Bulletins and Newsletters have been read, discovery of artificially produced radioac- and most of these have been made avail- tivity, and the development of accelerators able by our Headquarters staff. A large for nuclear physics studies. number of published articles specific to Organization of this History. Fol- events in our history have been located and lowing the Preface, the Introduction con- read. Early in 1997 each of the former tains a brief commentary on the origins of presidents was asked to contribute informa- the science of radiation physics with spe- tion on events during their terms, informa- cific references. The prior development tion on their own background and research elsewhere of organizations of physicists in interests, and also their opinions on prob- medical institutions has been described in lems and opportunities for the AAPM. the section: Early Organizations of Medical Their responses are much appreciated. Physicists. This section describes the for- Naturally, there is some unevenness in the mation of the HPA in the United Kingdom, amount of material to be described from which had served as a model for some of year to year with the variations in events in our founders. Visits by European physi- the activities of the AAPM, as well as in cists, particularly of Professor W. V. May- the differing individual approaches of of- neord of London, and others from France ficers during our Association’s continuing and Germany, were informative and influ- development. ential. Details of the formation of the Both Peter Sells and Alan Jennings pro- AAPM and events in its continuing devel- vided timely assistance on aspects of the opment are provided in the section, Forma- HPA experience, which had an influence tion and Activities of the AAPM, on a on our development. The influence of Pro- year-by-year basis. The section labeled fessor Mayneord’s interest in physics de- Specific Topics describes some of the cre- velopments in the U.S.A. has also been ations and activities of the AAPM, which noted. The close interaction with many of are better described in a specific essay, our Canadian colleagues has been stimulat- rather than contained in annual segments. ing and helpful. Certainly they have con- A final section on Tables of AAPM Data tributed strongly to our Journal in all cat-

Medical Physics, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1998, Part 2 1237 J. S. Laughlin and P. N. Goodwin: History of the AAPM: 1958–1998 1237 egories of effort, as members of our Edito- ABR American Board of Radiology rial Board, as authors and as referees. Par- ACMP American College of Medical Physics ticularly, Harold Johns was an early con- ACR American College of Radiology tributor to AAPM medical physics ASTRO American Society of Therapeutic activities. Radiology and Oncology Photography for the AAPM by Joe CAMPEP Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Sayeg and Jerry Dare and their help on Programs, Inc. photos has been essential to the pictorial CRP’s Centers for Radiological Physics record. Their persistence and resourceful- EXCOM Executive Committee of the ness in cataloguing and identifying photos AAPM has been outstanding. The AAPM Head- FDA Food and Drug Administration quarters staff provided us with copies of HCFA Health Care Finance their portraits of the former presidents and Administration have been very helpful on many occasions, HPA Hospital Physicists’ Association provision of photographs from other ͑U.K.͒ sources, such as Gammex, is appreciated. ICRU International Commission on Radiological Units and The writing and computer processing has Measurements been done at home, but Louise Shirodkar IOMP International Organization and assistants of the Medical Physics De- for Medical Physics partmental secretarial staff have provided JCAHO Joint Commission on Accreditation expert assistance on specific operations. of Healthcare Organizations Publication arrangements have been MP Medical Physics handled expertly by the AIP publication MSK Memorial Sloan–Kettering staff, particularly Doreene Berger, Carolyn MSQA Mammography Quality Assurance DeMarco, and Andrea Witt, who have also Act been most helpful with their attention to NCI National Cancer Institute many details of text arrangement, location NCRP National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements of figures, and other aspects of presenta- NHS National Health Service ͑U.K.͒ tion. NIH National Institutes of Health The editorial assistance and patient sup- NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission port of Eunice Laughlin during this long PMB Physics in Medicine and Biology endeavor are most gratefully appreciated. RAMPS Radiological and Medical Physics Society of New York RAPHEX Radiological Physics Exam LIST OF ACRONYMS RPC Radiological Physics Center RSNA Radiological Society of North AAPM American Association of Physicists America in Medicine SCRAD Scientific Committee on Radiation ABMP American Board of Medical Dosimetry Physics USPHS United States Public Health Service

Medical Physics, Vol. 25, No. 7, July 1998, Part 2