In the summer of 1951, 24 physicians attending the American Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Denver, Colorado, found a common interest in the validity of ultrasonic energy as a medical tool.

Mr Cecil Birtcher, president of the Birtcher Corporation and one of the AIUM's founders, encouraged this group of ultrasound pioneers and provided them with ultrasonic instruments with which to conduct research and carry out experiments. The Birtcher Corporation assumed most of the financial obligations of the AIUM during the AIUM's early years.

Disraeli Kobak, MD, the AIUM's first president, along with Mr Birtcher, organized the first annual meeting of this ultrasound group, held in New York in September 1952. These enthusiasts continued to meet and experiment with ultrasonics each year. This group evolved into the American Institute of Ultrasonics in Medicine, which later became the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. John Aldes, MD, an instrumental figure in the AIUM's early days, served as the AIUM's first secretary and then as the first executive director.

Images show George D. Ludwig, MD, and his first ultrasonic scanning equipment. Dr Ludwig and colleagues conducted experiments for the US Navy in the diagnostic capabilities of ultrasound; they used A-mode presentation of reflected echoes exclusively.

In the late 1950s, an executive home office for the AIUM was not yet in place, but it was becoming apparent that there was a need for one to be established.

At the AIUM's 1955 meeting in Detroit, Michigan, John Julian Wild, MD, PhD, and John Reid, PhD, presented the first paper on ultrasound used for medical diagnostic purposes, entitled "Echographic Tissue Diagnosis."

In 1956, the AIUM Executive Committee decided to cancel the planned scientific program so that all emphasis would be placed on the International Meeting of Ultrasonics in Medicine, scheduled for the following year in Los Angeles, California.

The AIUM's focus was primarily on the use of ultrasound for therapeutic purposes, although more research on its diagnostic uses was being introduced.

In 1958 and 1959, the AIUM had no annual meeting. Instead, half-day "interim" meetings were held, and plans for the next international meeting were presented.

The 24 physicians who paved the way for the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine were
John H. Aldes, MD Herman J. Bearzy, MD Hans J. Behrend, MD William Bierman, MD Harvey Billig, MD Nila K. Covalt, MD Harold Dinken, MD Jerome Gersten, MD Leonard Huddleston, MD I. F. Hummon, MD Arthur Jones, MD Disraeli Kobak, MD	Lt Col John H. Kuitert, MD Sedgwick Mead, MD Fred Moor, MD Max K. Newman, MD William Paul, MD G. Morris Piersol, MD Nathan H. Polmer, MD Donald L. Rose, MD Ferdinand F. Schwartz, MD Clyde I. Stafford, MD Jerry Weiss, MD Eugene Weissenberg, MD

Under the presidency of Carrie Chapman, MD (1963-1965), the first and, to date, only female AIUM president, the AIUM's official constitution and bylaws were written.

In 1964, an important turning point for the AIUM occurred. The AIUM broadened its interests, which had been focused primarily on the application of ultrasound in physical medicine, to include the use of ultrasound in all aspects of medicine - both diagnostic and therapeutic - which would eliminate the need to form 2 separate organizations. This marked the point at which AIUM membership began to expand rapidly.

Carlos Bustamente Ruiz, MD, was the AIUM's fifth president from 1965 to 1966. It was Dr Ruiz who, along with Drs Aldes and Chapman, initiated the first AIUM Pan-American meeting in Lima, Peru, in 1965.

During the AIUM's early years, Virginia Krause served as executive secretary and later was appointed to serve as administrative assistant to the Executive Board. Through her enthusiasm and devotion, Ms Krause was able to increase membership greatly and secure the first paying commercial exhibitors for the AIUM's 1964 meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1967, AIUM President William J. Fry, encouraged further expansion of the AIUM to include technologists, physicists, physiologists, and engineers, as well as physicians.

In 1968, the AIUM became known as the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine rather than the American Institute of Ultrasonics in Medicine.

During this time, the functions of the AIUM fell into 5 main categories:

1. Organizing annual scientific meetings to highlight clinical and experimental contributions made to the field of ultrasonics;
   
   
2. Offering educational activities to acquaint those just entering the field of ultrasonics with the fundamentals of physical principles and the rationale for clinical or research use;
   
   
3. Bringing together the users and developers of ultrasonics equipment to facilitate conceptual breakthroughs into working prototypes and eventually into useful clinical tools;
   
   
4. Sponsoring the development of uniformly understood and accepted terminology to promote meaningful dialogue among various disciplines; and
   
   
5. Initiating an equipment standardization program to permit precise determination of the acoustic parameters used to obtain sonograms and the dosage levels used in therapeutic applications.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

After decades of remarkable achievements, the early 1980s marked a time of transition and celebration for the AIUM. During this period, the institute celebrated its 25th anniversary, revamped its membership categories, and reorganized several components of its business structure.

Not only was the AIUM celebrating 25 years as a flourishing organization, but it also was positioning itself for continued success. As such, during this time, the AIUM announced plans to relocate its executive office from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. During his term as president, Richard Meyer, MD played a crucial part in the planning and designing of the new office. By relocating to the DC area, the AIUM hoped to increase its visibility and amplify the professional recognition of its members.

In the early 1980s, the AIUM also created a new journal, the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (JUM). During Marvin Ziskin, MD's first year as president in 1982, the JUM became the official AIUM journal. It would replace the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound (JCU), and, unlike the JCU, which was owned and published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc, the JUM would be owned by the AIUM and published by the W. B. Saunders Company, starting January 1, 1982. George Leopold, MD, was chosen as the editor of the JUM, and subsequently resigned as editor of the JCU.

In 1981, the AIUM established the Memorial Hall of Fame. Douglass Howry, MD, was the first member to be inducted.

In 1982, the Pioneer Award was renamed to honor Joseph H. Holmes, MD, who died that year. Dr Holmes, the first person named as an AIUM pioneer, was an important figure to both the field of diagnostic ultrasound and the AIUM.

Volume 1, Number 1 of the AIUM Newsletter was published in July 1985. The newsletter served as a means of keeping the AIUM membership informed of the organization's activities. In 1986, the AIUM's publishing activities and educational offerings continued to expand to meet the needs of the growing membership.

In July 1987, the first AIUM Bioeffects Conference was held in Stowe, Vermont. The invaluable conclusions from that conference focused on 2 mechanisms of primary concern relative to the safety of ultrasound: cavitation and heat.

In mid-1988, the AIUM published a new patient brochure, What You Should Know About Your OB Ultrasound Exam. The 8-panel pamphlet answered the questions most asked by patients. It was the first of a series of patient brochures planned by the AIUM, each covering a different ultrasound examination.

A special highlight of the 1988 WFUMB/AIUM Meeting was the History of Ultrasound Symposium and Exhibition, which featured equipment used by pioneers John J. Wild, MD, PhD, and Douglass Howry, MD. To coincide with the history symposium, the AIUM, in conjunction with WFUMB and Eastman Kodak Company, published Medical Diagnostic Ultrasound: A Retrospective on Its 40th Anniversary, an ultrasound history monograph.

During the early 1990s, the AIUM had 16 distinct committees and 9 sections in place. Since their establishment in the early 1970s, the AIUM's committees continue to be the lifeblood of the organization, where ideas are formulated and projects brought to fruition. Sections, also a vital part of the organization, are composed of members with a particular interest in a specific medical ultrasound application.

As in past years, in the 1990s the AIUM continued to establish its presence in the ultrasound community, producing official statements on key ultrasound issues and publishing clinical scanning guidelines. In addition, the AIUM produced numerous videos and publications for ultrasound professionals.

During William O'Brien, Jr., PhD's presidency, the new voluntary standard for diagnostic ultrasound equipment intended for human use was initiated, resulting in the publication of the "Standard for Real-time Display of Thermal and Mechanical Acoustic Output Indices on Diagnostic Ultrasound Equipment."

In response to membership requests, the AIUM established a committee to develop voluntary guidelines for accreditation for ultrasound practices in obstetric and gynecologic facilities.

During this period, the AIUM developed a nationwide Outreach Program to educate and inform high school students about careers in diagnostic ultrasound. The program enlisted almost 600 volunteers - all AIUM members and ultrasound professionals - to speak about their experiences in the field.

In October 1993, the AIUM opened its doors in Laurel, Maryland, which remains the site of the AIUM executive office today. The AIUM's 19th president, Michael Tenner, MD, was instrumental in the acquisition of the AIUM headquarters building.

In September 1995, the AIUM debuted a website containing information about the AIUM's activities.

In October 1995, the AIUM's Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Commission was developed. The commission's goals were to meet the needs for assurance of proper training, proper experience, and proper understanding of the technology among users of diagnostic ultrasound. By February 1996, the AIUM was well on its way to accomplishing this goal as more than 900 ultrasound practices requested the introductory brochure on obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound practice accreditation.

In September 1996, the AIUM announced 30 practices had been accredited. The Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Commission would later evolve into the Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council.

In addition to its interest in ultrasound practice accreditation, the AIUM established an Education and Research Fund for the purpose of advancing education and establishing research opportunities in ultrasound.

In 1997, the AIUM's Distinguished Sonographer Award was established.

In 1999, the AIUM Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Commission added an accreditation option for practices performing breast ultrasound examinations. On July 15, 1999, the AIUM accredited its first practices performing breast sonography.

During Frederick Kremkau, PhD's presidency in the late 1990s, the AIUM began offering AMA PRA category 1 CME credit tests in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine. Now, both physicians and sonographers had the opportunity to earn the credits they needed for accreditation, to meet state licensing requirements, or to be recertified.

The year 2000 marked a turning point for the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (JUM). After more than 2 decades of service as the AIUM's editor-in-chief, George Leopold, MD, retired, and Beryl Benacerraf, MD, was selected as the JUM's new editor-in-chief.

Under Lawrence Platt, MD's presidency, in an effort to heighten public awareness about the importance of ultrasound, the AIUM began sponsorship of an annual Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month (MUAM) in October. By 2004, as MUAM increased in popularity, 5 sister societies had joined the campaign.

In addition to the ultrasound awareness campaign, increased collaboration with related societies (American College of Radiology and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) led to the creation of joint clinical ultrasound practice guidelines.

In 2000, the AIUM launched a continuing education course series to meet the needs of ultrasound professionals. These 2- or 3-day courses were designed to provide participants with the opportunity to learn the latest, most up-to-date information about a specific ultrasound application.

In 2001, the JUM submission process took a major leap forward with the implementation of an online manuscript submission and review system. This technological advancement was soon followed by an online version of the JUM, which debuted in January 2002.

The AIUM continues to take advantage of computer technology to provide members with more online resources, including CME tests, a merchandise store, a job board, a buyers guide, a searchable journal, abstract submission, and much more.

In the past year, the AIUM has hosted forums on 3D ultrasound, thermal and nonthermal bioeffects from sonography, and compact ultrasound systems to develop consensus on these important issues.

To date, the number of sites accredited by the AIUM's Ultrasound Practice Accreditation Council throughout the United States and Canada is more than 1500.

The AIUM has been involved in many diverse activities related to the growth and development of diagnostic medical ultrasound. This involvement will continue to grow over the next 50 years as ultrasound technology improves and its uses become more diversified.