1st Edition

X-ray Contrast Agent Technology A Revolutionary History

By Christoph de Haen Copyright 2019
338 Pages
by CRC Press

338 Pages 2 Color & 47 B/W Illustrations
by CRC Press

338 Pages 2 Color & 47 B/W Illustrations
by CRC Press

This book documents the fascinating history of radiological techniques that use contrast agents. The text includes many of the fundamental documentary sources that bring to life the social and scientific background of the discoveries, the personalities of the discoverers, and implementation of new technologies. Such agents when used with X-rays allow clinicians to distinguish anatomical... Read more
Chapter 1 Introduction, Chapter 2 Methodological Considerations, Historical and Sociological Perspectives, Technological Innovation, The Analytical Model of Technology Genesis and Shaping, Chapter 3 Assembly of a Technological Vision for X-Ray Contrast Agents, Chapter 4 Uro-Angiographic Contrast Agents—The Holy Grail, Technology Genesis Phase, History, From Sodium Iodide to Uro-selectan Sodium and Methiodal Sodium, Contrasting Historical Interpretations, The Dynamics of Technology Genesis, The Failure of One-Dimensional Reductionism, Technical Knowledge from Interference of Different Knowledge Cultures, Interference as Communication and Individuation of Knowledge.

Biography



Christoph de Haën, born September 9, 1940 in Switzerland, studied chemistry and



biology in Lausanne, Zurich, and Rome, earning a master’s degree in chemistry



from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), followed by a PhD



in molecular biology at the same institution. After a postdoctoral fellowship in biochemistry



at the University of Washington, Seattle, he became research faculty at



the same institution, jointly appointed in the Departments of Medicine (Division of



Endocrinology and Metabolism) and Biochemistry. There he moved up the ranks to



Research Full Professor and Graduate Faculty. In mid-career he joined the Bracco



company, a worldwide active pharmaceutical corporation, headquartered in Milan,



Italy. There he held various leadership positions in global research and development,



including Head of the Milano Research Center and Scientific Advisor to the Bracco



Group of Companies. The principle field of activity was contrast agents for various



diagnostic imaging modalities. His publications span a wide variety of fields, including



social science ones. He retired in 2005 and lives in Switzerland.

"This book, written by the eminent chemist and former scientific adviser to Bracco, covers the history of x-ray contrast agents concentrating primarily on uroangiographic agents. The contributions of the giants in this field, such as Lichtenberg, Swick and of course Almen, are covered in considerable depth." - Dr. Arpan K Banerjee, past chair and trustee, British Society for the History of Radiology