Discovery of X-Rays
X-rays were not developed; they were discovered, quite by accident. During the 1870s and 1880s many university physics laboratories were involved in the investigation of the conduction of cathode rays, or electrons, through a large, partially evacuated glass tube know as a Crookes tube. Sir William Croockes was an Englishman from a rather humble background who was a self-taught genius. The tube that bears his name was the forerunner of modern fluorescent lamps and neon sing-type lamps.

Wilhelm Roentgen was experimenting when he discovered X-Rays. There were many different types of Crookes tubes; the majority of them were capable of producing-Rays. On November 8, 1985, Ronetgen was working in his laboratory at Wurzburg University in Germany. He had darkened his laboratory and completely enclosed his Crookes tube with black photographic paper so that he could better visualize the effects of the cathode rays in the tube. A plate coated with barium platinocyaniode, a fluorescent material, happened to be lying on a bench top several feet from the Crookes tube. No visible light escaped from the Crookes tube because of the black paper enclosing it, but Roentgen noted that the barium platinocyaniode fluoresced regardless of its distance from the Crookes tube. The intensity of fluorescence increased as the plate was brought closer to the tube; consequently, there was little doubt about the origin of the stimulus for fluorescence. Roentgen's immediate approach to investigating this "X-light," as he called it, was to interpose various materials-wood, aluminum, his hand-between the Croockes tube and the fluorescing plate. He feverishly continued these investigations for several weeks.

There are several amazing features about the discovery of X-Rays that cause it to rank high in the events of human history. First, the discovery was quite by accident. Second, probably no fewer than a dozen contemporaries of Roentgen had previously observed X-radiation, but none of these other physicists had recognized its significance or investigated it, third, Roentgen followed his discovery with such scientific vigor that within little more than a month he had ascribed to X-radiation nearly all the properties recognized today. His initial investigation was extremely thorough, and he was able to report his experimental results to the scientific community before the end of 1895. For this work he received in 1901 the first Nobel prize in physics. Finally, Roentgen added the value of his discovery to medicine. He produced and published the first medical X-Ray, one of his wife's hand.

Development of modern radiology
There are two general types of X-Ray procedures: radiographic examinations and fluoroscopic examinations. Radiographic examinations employ X-Ray film and usually an X-ray tube mounted from the ceiling on a track that allows the tube to be moved in any direction. Such examinations provide the radiologist with fixed photographic images. Fluoroscopic procedures are usually conducted with an X-Ray tube located under the examining table. The radiologist is provided with moving, or dynamic, images portrayed on a fluoroscopic screen or television monitor. There are many variations of these two basic types of examinations, but in general the x-ray equipment is similar. Although the x-ray equipment used today is quite sophisticated, there have not been many basic changes since Roentgen's time.

To produce a satisfactory x-ray, one must supply the x-ray tube with a sufficient electric current. X-Ray voltages are measured in kilovolts peak (kVp). One kilovolt (kV) is equal to 1000 V of electric potential. X-Ray currents are measured in milliamperes (mA), where the ampere (A) is a measure of electric current. Normal household current is a few amperes.

X-Ray Applications
The X-Ray has been called one of the most significant advances in all of medical history. It is used in many different ways in medical diagnosis. A radiologic image is produced when a small amount of radiation passes through the body and strikes a sheet of sensitive film placed on the other side of the body. The ability of X-Rays to penetrate tissues and bones varies according to the tissue's composition and mass. Bone, which contains calcium, does not let much radiation through and results in white images on the radiographic film. The lungs, which are filled with air, allow nearly all X-Rays to strike the film resulting in a black film image. Probably the most common use of X-Ray are the bone radiographs to assist the physician in identifying and treating bone fractures. Radiologic images of the chest, spine, joints, and extremities are performed all the time everyday in SMC's accident emergency section. Images at the time of injury can show even very fine hairline fractures or chips, while images produced after treatment ensure that a fracture has been properly aligned and stabilized for healing. Bone X-Rays are an essential tool in orthopedic surgery, such as spinal repair, joint replacements, or fracture reductions. The radiologic images can be used to diagnose and monitor the progression of degenerative diseases such as arthritis. They also play an important role in the detection and diagnosis of cancer, although usually CT or MRI is better at defining the extent and the nature of a suspected cancer.

Routine X-Rays involve exposing a part of the body to a small dose of radiation to produce an image of the internal organs. When X-Rays penetrate the body, they are absorbed in varying amounts by different parts of the anatomy. Ribs, for example, will absorb much of the radiation and, therefore, appear white or light gray on the image. Lung tissue absorbs little radiation and appears dark on the image. The exposed film is either placed in a developing machine, producing images much like the negatives from a 35-mm camera, or are digitally stored on computer. Patients do not feel any discomfort during the procedure.

Risks
X-Rays are a type of invisible electromagnetic radiation and create no sensation when they pass through the body. Modern X-Ray techniques use only a fraction of the X-Ray dose required in the early days of radiology.

Special care is taken during X-Ray examinations to ensure maximum safety for the patient by shielding the abdomen and pelvis with a lead apron, with the exception of those examinations in which the abdomen and pelvis are being imaged. Women should always inform their doctor or X-Ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.

During plain radiography, a patient is exposed to a minimum amount of radiation. This compares to the radiation received from sources such as the ultraviolet rays of the sun and the traces of uranium found in the soil.

Imaging History in Kingdom of Bahrain
The Ministry of Health's first x-ray machine was installed at Naim Hospital (Naim Health Center) in 1950 although the very first x-ray machine in the Kingdom of Bahrain was installed at the American Mission Hospital sometime around 1940. The MoH started initially with 2 conventional x-ray machines and a single portable unit. All the radiological examinations during that period were performed by on-the-job trained X-ray technicians. This included special procedures such as barium meals and IVP examinations. Injections for IVPs were administered by one of the hospital doctors. The technicians then proceeded with the rest of the examination as in current practice. The first non-Bahraini radiographer was Mr.Hakamdeen while the first Bahraini radiographer was Mr.Khalil Al-Haiki. Mr.Al-Haiki joined the Ministry of Health (MoH) on the 12th of May 1956 when he began his job as a dark-room technician and then started his on job training to perform some radiographic examinations. Mr.Al-Haiki was followed by Mr.Hassan Qamber. Mr.Qamber served the Radiology Department for more than 35 years. He retired in 1996. He started his job at Naim Hospital and then moved to the chest hospital in 1959 (the current location of the Psychiatric Hospital).

The old SMC Radiology Department was established on 1959 and they were having two x-ray machines manufactured by Watson which were later replaced by a Siemens machine. They were also having one Phillips fluoroscopy unit. Subsequently on the 16th of December 1987 the main SMC building was opened in which was located the new Radiology Department. In 1996 further renovations and extensions were performed which lead to the current Radiology Department at SMC.

Since the opening of the Radiology Department at Naim Hospital only one duty shift worked per day starting from early morning until the afternoon. This had to be followed later by an on call service. Due to the absence of pagers and mobile phones at that time, the hospital arranged hospital cars to transfer the trained technicians from their homes to the hospital and back. During that time no personnel dosimeter devices were available to the staff such as film badges or TLD monitors. Nowadays every single staff member working in the field of ionizing radiation has a TLD badge.

As far as film processing is concerned, during those days this was performed manually using processing tanks until 1973. This involved processing the film inside the dark-room and therefore taking more than 5 minutes for each film to be processed. The films were dried by hanging them beside a normal standing fan. The first automatic processor was installed in NHC in 1973 and the second was in SMC - Maternity hospital in the same year.

Nowadays SMC Radiology Department uses state of art unit’s such almost all the plain radiography are digital radiography (DR) using flat panel devices or Computed Radiography (CR).

The first non-Bahraini clinical radiologist was Dr.Green Well from UK who joined the MoH in 1971. The first Bahraini radiologist was Dr.Najeeb Jamsheer; he joined MoH on the 13th of July 1974. Dr.Jamsheer was the Chairman of Radiology Department at SMC until the beginning of December 2002.

Dr. Fowzia Kamal was the first female Bahraini Radiologist having joined the Radiology Department 4 years later in 1978.

The first Bahraini trained and qualified radiographers were Mr.Naji Mohd Ali and Dr.Hassan Al-Jaroodi. They both joined the Radiology Department on the 4th of July 1970, after graduating from Egypt University. The second group of trained radiographers graduated from Iraq University. This batch consisted of Mr.Hassan Ashoor and Mrs.Faika Al-Khateeb who was the first female qualified radiographer to join the MoH. Mr.Ahmed Jaffer joined SMC in May 1969 having graduated from Egypt University in October 1971. Mr.Jaffer was the first radiographer to work on the CT scanner since August 1985, this was when the first GE CT scanner was installed at SMC.

The College of Health Sciences started the radiography training program in 1976. The first students who graduated from this program were Dr.Lulwa Mutlaq and Mrs. Fatima Salim in 1978.

In 1980 the first ultrasound unit was introduced at SMC and the first MRI, on the other hand was introduced in 1996 with the opening of the new SMC expansion.

The SMC Radiology Department currently employs a total of 48 Radiographers; only 1 of them are non-Bahrainis, 13 Radiologic Technologists one of whom is the Chief Radiologic Technologist and four they are non-Bahraini, one administrative supervisor, 12 clerks, 11 medical secretaries and 8 technicians medical aide services who are all of Bahraini nationality.

There are currently 25 radiologists working at SMC Radiology Department, 11 of those are Bahraini consultant radiologists, 2 non-Bahraini consultant radiologists and 5 non-Bahraini residents. We also have some Bahraini residents on overseas training.