Three pioneers in the early history of neuroradiology: the Snyder lecture.

Abstract

The early history of neuroradiology is linked to three pioneers who worked during the first half of the 20th century. Two were neuropsychiatrists and one was a neurosurgeon. Arthur Schüller, a Viennese neuropsychiatrist, was the first to study systematically the X-ray skull changes caused by intracranial disease. He is generally regarded as the 'father of neuroradiology'. Walter Dandy, the great neurosurgeon of Johns Hopkins, introduced ventriculography and penumoencephalography. Egas Moniz, a Portuguese neuropsychiatrist, developed cerebral angiography, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for originating prefrontal lobotomy. The work of these three pioneers laid the basis through which modern neuroradiology became a separate discipline.