•  
  •  

Scholarly Commons > HCA Healthcare Journal > Vol. 6 > Iss. 1 (2025)

 

Keywords

Beatles; computed tomography; Electric and Musical Industries (EMI); financing; history; music industry; Sir Godfrey Hounsfield

Disciplines

Medical Education | Medical Humanities

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) imaging has become a cornerstone of modern medical diagnostics, thanks to the groundbreaking work of Sir Godfrey Hounsfield. However, the significant role played by his employer, Electric and Musical Industries (EMI), in providing financial support for his research is often overlooked. In this paper, we explore the connection between EMI's success in the music industry, particularly its signing of the Beatles, and Hounsfield's pioneering work on CT imaging. EMI’s success in the music industry provided the financial stability for Hounsfield's research endeavors. In 1971, he developed the first CT scanner, which revolutionized diagnostic medicine. His collaboration with radiologist James Ambrose led to the first clinical CT scan the very same year, marking a significant milestone in medical imaging history. Hounsfield's contributions to the field of medical imaging were honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1979. This award showcased the interdisciplinary nature of medical innovation, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical insight and practical application. The intertwined narratives of music and medicine and the unlikely partnership between the Beatles, EMI, and Sir Godfrey Hounsfield led to the birth of CT imaging.

Download

Share

COinS