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Peter Wells
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Born
Peter Neil Temple Wells

(1936-05-19)19 May 1936
Bristol, England
Died 22 April 2017(2017-04-22) (aged 80)
Education Aston University
Occupation Academic researcher
Known for Ultrasound
Awards
  • Duddell Medal and Prize (2006)
  • FREng (2004)
  • FMedSci
  • Royal Medal (2013)
  • FRS (2003)
Scientific career
Fields Electrical engineering
Medical physics
Institutions

Peter Neil Temple Wells CBE DSc FMedSci FREng FIET FInstP FLSW FRS (19 May 1936 in Bristol, England – 22 April 2017) was a British medical physicist who played a major role in the application of ultrasound technology in medicine.

Education

Wells was educated at Birmingham College of Advanced Technology and the University of Bristol where he was awarded his PhD in 1966.

Career and research

Wells has made a number of notable contributions to the application of engineering and physics in medicine. He is the originator and developer of instruments for ultrasonic surgery and ultrasonic power measurement, as well as the two-dimensional, articulated-arm ultrasonic general purpose scanner and the water-immersion ultrasonic breast scanner.

He demonstrated ultrasonic-pulsed Doppler range gating, and was the discoverer of the ultrasonic Doppler signal characteristic of malignant tumour neovascularisation. He investigated ultrasonic bioeffects and formulated ultrasonic safety guidelines and conditions for prudent use of ultrasonic diagnosis.

Wells has led multidisciplinary studies of ultrasonic diagnosis and made major contributions to the advancement of light transmission, electrical impedance and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, as well as to interventional telepresence. He also proposed a novel philosophy of medical imaging. In the early part of the 21st century, he was developing ultrasonic Doppler and phase-insensitive tomography.

Honours and awards

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