Walter Dandy

Walter Dandy developed pneumoencephalography (PEG) in 1918, a groundbreaking medical technique used to visualize the brain and spinal cord. The process involved injecting filtered air or carbon dioxide directly into the cerebrospinal fluid to make the brain's structures visible on an X-ray. This specific diagnostic tool remained the primary method for detecting brain tumors until the invention of modern CT scans in the 1970s.

Walter Dandy conducted his medical research and practiced neurosurgery at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He trained there under Harvey Cushing, who is widely considered the father of modern neurosurgery, before establishing his own incredibly influential practice at the hospital. Dandy spent his entire, highly prolific career at Johns Hopkins from 1910 until his death in 1946.

Walter Dandy is highly credited with discovering the vital function of the choroid plexus, the specific network of blood vessels responsible for producing cerebrospinal fluid in the brain's ventricles. He proved that blockages in this specific system could lead to the dangerous buildup of fluid known as hydrocephalus. This specific discovery directly led to his invention of surgical treatments to drain fluid and relieve pressure on the brain.

Yes, during World War II, Walter Dandy served as a highly decorated brigadier general in the United States Army Medical Corps. He was stationed in Washington, D.C., where he treated numerous soldiers suffering from severe, combat-related head trauma. The specific surgical techniques he developed for veterans drastically improved survival rates for penetrating brain injuries.