Dental News - Father of CT scanner dies

Daniel Zimmermann, DTI

Mon. 30 July 2012

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KENSINGTON, Md. & WASHINGTON, D.C., USA: One of the pioneers of CT scanning technology for use in medicine has died at the age of 86. Robert S. Ledley, a trained dentist turned biomedical researcher from New York City, passed away on Tuesday last week, family members told U.S. media.

Ledley had suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He died in a nursing facility in Kensington, Md., near Washington, D.C., leaving his wife, two sons and four grandchildren, according to the notice of death.

Ledley started work on CT scanning technology while he was working as a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Georgetown University Medical Center's School of Medicine. There, he presented the first functional device able to perform a full-body scan to the public in 1973. The original is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

In addition to his achievements in the field of CT scanning, Ledley also helped to develop the Film Input to Digital Automatic Computer, an image-scanning technology used in the analysis of chromosomes, as well as a diagnostic device to assist in the diagnosis and study of neurological and ophthalmic disorders called the Computerized Electro Neuro Ophthalmograph.

He was also founder of the National Biomedical Research Foundation, a non-profit organization intended to support the development of computer technology for use in biomedical research.

"Bob's intellectual span and pioneering always amazed me," radiologist and Editor-in-Chief of Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics, a scientific journal Ledley founded in 1976, Stephen Wong told Dental Tribune Online. "His relentless efforts in applying electronics, computing, and mathematics to improve medicine not only made lasting impacts to the fields of medical imaging, bioinformatics, and health informatics, but also has inspired many generations of scientists, engineers, and researchers, including myself, to dedicate their lives to this profession."

"Bob lived a wonderful and productive life. He certainly will be missed," Wong added.

Ledley held a dental degree from the New York University College of Dentistry received in 1948. During his dental career, he served both at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center of the U.S. Army Dental Corps and at the former National Bureau of Standards' Dental Materials Section, where he developed a system to optimize the fitting of dentures.

For his scientific work, Ledley was awarded the National Medal of Technology, among other honors. He is also an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame since 1990.

Ledley was laid to rest on Thursday last week in Rockville, Md.

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