Hal Anger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hal Anger
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Hal Anger and Benedict Cassen at the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva, Switzerland, 1955
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| Born | May 20, 1920 |
| Died | October 31, 2005 (aged 85) Berkeley, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of California Berkeley |
| Known for | gamma camera, well counter, Anger logic |
| Awards | John Scott Award in 1964 for the development of the positron camera; Guggenheim Fellowship, 1966; Gesellschaft fur Medizin, 1971; honorary doctorate in science, Ohio State University, 1972; Nuclear Medicine Pioneer Citation, SNM, 1974; Modern Medicine Award for Distinguished Achievement, 1975; SNM First Western Regional award for distinguished contributions to nuclear medicine, 1976; Centennial Year Medal, Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 1984; Societé Française de Biophysique et Médecine Nucléaire Medal, 1988; Georg de Hevesy Memorial Medal, Vienna, 1991; and Honorary Member and Fellow, American College of Nuclear Physicians, 1992 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | nuclear medicine, biomedical engineering |
| Institutions | Ernest O. Lawrence Radiation Laboratory |
Hal Oscar Anger (born May 20, 1920 – died October 31, 2005) was a brilliant American scientist. He was an electrical engineer and a biophysicist. He worked at the Donner Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hal Anger is most famous for inventing the gamma camera. This amazing invention changed how doctors could see inside the human body. He held 15 patents for his inventions. Many of these came from his work at the Ernest O. Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. He also won many awards for his important contributions to nuclear medicine. Hal Anger passed away in Berkeley, California.
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Hal Anger's Inventions
Hal Anger created several important tools for medicine. These inventions helped doctors learn more about the human body. They are still used in hospitals and labs today.
The Gamma Camera
In 1957, Hal Anger invented the gamma camera. It is also called the scintillation camera or the Anger camera. This device helps doctors take pictures of organs inside the body. It works by detecting tiny amounts of radiation. This radiation is given to a patient in a safe way. The camera then creates images that show how organs are working.
Other Important Tools
Anger also developed the well counter. This tool is used in labs to measure radioactivity in samples. It helps scientists understand how much radiation is in different materials. He also created a special scanner. This scanner used the Anger camera to make detailed 3D images of the body.
How the Gamma Camera Became Popular
Hal Anger developed the first useful scintillation camera at a lab in California. This lab was funded by the U.S. Government. Because of this, the government owned the rights to his invention at first.
Sharing the Invention
However, Anger's supervisors worked to get the patent rights released to him. A patent protects an invention and gives the inventor rights to it. Hal Anger then tried to find companies to build and sell his camera. He eventually gave an exclusive license to Nuclear-Chicago Corporation (NCC). This meant only NCC could make and sell the camera for a while.
Widespread Use
NCC successfully made a commercial version of the Anger Camera. They started selling it to hospitals across the United States. The sales of the Anger Camera grew a lot over the years. Hal Anger earned money from the royalties he received. Other companies later started making similar cameras. This led to some legal discussions, but the Anger Camera became widely used around the world.
Helping Future Scientists
Hal Anger also believed in helping others. After he passed away, his estate made a very generous gift.
The Hal Anger Prize
In 2006, the Society of Nuclear Medicine's Education and Research Foundation received $6 million from Hal Anger's estate. This was the largest gift they had ever received. This money helps advance the field of nuclear medicine. It also led to the creation of the Hal Anger Prize and Lecture. This prize honors new discoveries in nuclear medicine.
