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Father William Rontgen
Rontgen invents/discovers X-Ray technology that allows us to see through parts of another humans body -
Philips Begins X-ray production
During WWI, Dutch hospitals were in need of repairs on their X-ray tubes. They sought out Philips for assistance as Philips had expertise in glass and vacuum technology. Around this time is when the company received its patent for X-ray tubes. -
The Day We Lost Rontgen
Here lies Rontgen. He forgot to wear his dosimeter all those years and passed away from epithelial cell carcinoma --> GI Carcinoma essentially. -
What's better than X-ray Tubes? A Better X-ray tube.
Early designs of x-ray tubes were inadequate because they radiate X-rays in all directions. Philips develops a narrow tube with a layer of lead so that the radiation can only pass through a glass window, thereby protecting the patient from undesirable
radiation and high voltages. -
Rotation for the Nation
Philips had enough of mediocre images and decided to get creative with the x-ray tubes they've been producing. During this time they upgraded the stationary anodes to rotating anodes. This allowed for better heat distribution and higher tube power. This improvement remained the standard for future generations of x-ray tubes. -
Philip's First Image Intensifier
Hungry and desperate for more, Philip's developed their first Image Intensifier. Capable of improving clarity and sharpness by 400x. This made it way easier for doctors to view images in real time and with better lighting (due to increased brightness from II). -
FUSIONNNNNN
With an Image Intensifier and an improved x-ray tube, Philips gets a little cheeky and begins combining the two to harness a new level of power within the x-ray world. -
Birth of The C-Arm
Prior to 1955, X-ray systems were unable to change direction. In response to this, Philips rose to the occasion and created THE FIRST C-Arm EVER in the shape of a half moon with an Image intensifier on one end, and the x-ray tube on the other. Diagnoses were made more rapidly and treatments were done more rapidly with the added omnidirectional function that came with the C-Arm. -
What's on the Television Screen?
The development of the C-Arm led to many contributions in healthcare, but Philips knew they could make it even better and said hold my beer.
The geniuses took the image intensifier and linked it to a television monitor, thus allowing the doctors and several other people to view the images simultaneously. -
Product Testing!
Philip's C-arm imaging system is put to the test when Cardiologist F. Mason Sones from the Cleveland Clinic in the US performs the VERY FIRST study of the coronary artery using a catheter, Philip's C-arm, and contrast medium. Philips takes pride in this and continues to further develop its x-ray systems into an excellent imaging solution for the heart for generations to come.