History of the AIUM

"Second generation" B-mode scanner for the eye used by Gilbert Baum, MD. Ultrasonic coupling was provided by a water bath and goggles. This scanner detected tumors, cysts, and other lesions in the back of the eye.

During the 1970s, the AIUM took several steps forward by establishing an official executive office and registering with the US Internal Revenue Service as a nonprofit organization.

Original continuous wave Doppler instruments developed by Donald W. Baker, former board member of the AIUM, and Vernon Simmons, the technician who fabricated the units.

The AIUM formalized its activities by establishing several committees, including the Membership, Ultrasonic Standards, Bioeffects, and Nominating Committees, which are still functioning today. The committees of the AIUM are the backbone of this diverse ultrasound association and a vital component of its growth and development.

"Our organization has come a long way these past few years in both size and importance, making responsible, effective leadership all the more crucial."

- Gilbert Baum, MD

Under the presidency of Denis White, MD, the AIUM continued working toward improving public awareness about ultrasound, expanding AIUM membership to include engineers, physicists, and bioengineers, and increasing attendance at annual meetings.

In an attempt to establish a forum to communicate new developments in the field of diagnostic ultrasound, the AIUM established a close working relationship with the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound (JCU), which debuted in March 1973 with AIUM past president Joseph Holmes, MD, serving as editor.

Spectral Doppler Imaging
Spectral Doppler refers to Doppler ultrasound methods such as pulsed Doppler ultrasound and continuous wave Doppler, which present the result of blood flow velocity measurement as a time-velocity spectral display. This image is the first spectral analysis of a continuous wave Doppler flow signal.

In the 1970s, with membership increasing rapidly, a quarterly newsletter was created to keep members informed of AIUM news on a continuous basis. This 4-page document later evolved into a newsmagazine, Reflections.

Color Doppler Imaging
Color Doppler ultrasound is the presentation of Doppler shift information superimposed on a real-time, gray scale anatomic image. Flow directions toward and away from the transducer result in Doppler shifts that are presented as different colors on the display. The image shown above is a longitudinal color Doppler image of the carotid artery.

During the period from 1974 to 1979, the AIUM enjoyed continued growth, increasing membership, and expansion of its presence in the medical community.

In 1974, the National Library of Medicine announced that articles appearing in the official journal of the AIUM, the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound (JCU), would be listed in Index Medicus. The JCU later would be replaced by the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (JUM).

In late 1974, Ross Brown, MD, established the first AIUM central office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Up until this point, the AIUM executive office had been run on an unofficial basis, traveling from place to place, residing with each new president. The next order of business was to incorporate the AIUM, which officially occurred in March 1975.

In June 1975, the AIUM received accreditation from the American Medical Association (AMA) to provide continuing education for physicians.

The first world congress of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) was hosted by the AIUM and held in San Francisco, California, August 3-7, 1976.

The AIUM's 12th president, from 1976 to 1978, Ross Brown, MD (left), presents the Pioneer Award to the first recipient, Joseph H. Holmes, MD.

The Pioneer Award, which honors an individual who significantly contributes to the growth and development of diagnostic ultrasound, was established in 1977.

In August 1979 in Montréal, Canada, AIUM President Horace Thompson, MD presided over the AIUM's first annual meeting to be held outside the United States.

"We must be very very careful to provide a balanced umbrella where all specialties can meet and hear from the top professionals of their fields."

- William M. McKinney, MD