Nobel Prize winner's CT legacy 'still evident to this day'

The legacy of a Nobel Prize winner who came from a Wick family "remains evident to this day" – exactly a century after he was born.

Professor Allan MacLeod Cormack was honoured for his part in developing computed tomography (CT) scanning, a technology that has benefited hundreds of millions of patients worldwide.

Cormack and Professor Godfrey Hounsfield jointly received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1979. Born in South Africa on February 23, 1924, Cormack became a naturalised citizen of the United States in 1966 – but never lost sight of his Caithness roots.

He died in 1998, aged 74. Ten years later, a new £800,000 CT scanner suite at Caithness General Hospital was named in his honour.

A CT scan is defined by the NHS as "a test that takes detailed pictures of the inside of your body. It's usually used to diagnose conditions or check how well treatment is working."

Sarah Porteous, CT lead at Caithness General Hospital, said: "There has been a CT scanner in Caithness General Hospital since August 2008 and it was opened in memory of Professor Allan MacLeod Cormack.

"Although born in South Africa, Allan had a strong Caithness family heritage which can be traced back over 200 years. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1979 for his contribution to the development of CT scanning.

"This year marks 100 years since Allan's birth and the legacy he has left remains evident to this day.

"The scanner is available and can be operational 24/7 and provides high-quality diagnostic images. Demand is high and sees a throughput of approximately 3500 patients a year, with this number increasing year upon year.

"It is an asset to have in a rural general hospital and saves many journeys south."

Related story:

• The 'modest genius' from a Caithness family who became a Nobel Prize winner

• Imagining the Elephant, a biography of Professor Cormack by Professor Christopher (Kit) Vaughan, emeritus professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Cape Town, was published in 2008 by Imperial College Press and hard copies are on sale online. A PDF version is available directly from Professor Vaughan, free of charge. His email address is kit@caperay.com

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