HOW RESEARCH INTO MEDICAL ULTRASOUND BEGAN IN AUSTRALIA

George Kossoff AO, FTSE, DscEng, (Retired) Former Head, Ultrasonics Laboratory, Division of Telecommunications and Industrail Physics, CSIRO, Sydney

Abstract
In 1955, the National Health and Medical Research Council set up an Ultrasonics Committee to enquire into the control and use of ultrasound physiotherapy equipment. The Director of the Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories (CAL) was appointed Chairman of the Committee. In 1958 the Chairman recommended that, in view of developments internationally in medical ultrasound, the Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories should undertake research into this field in Australia. An Ultrasonic Research Section was established in the Laboratories in March 1959, and research into medical ultrasound began at that time. This review describes the events leading to the establishment of the Ultrasonics Committee, the activity of the Committee between 1955 and 1958, and the research undertaken by the Ultrasonic Research Section of the Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories until 1963 when the Ultrasonics Committee of the NHMRC was discontinued and the control of the research transferred to the Commonwealth Acoustic Laboratories.