British electrical engineer at EMI who independently conceived and built the first CT (computed tomography) scanner in 1971. Working from the mathematical theory of Allan Cormack, Hounsfield constructed a device that assembled X-ray measurements taken from multiple angles into cross-sectional images of the body — revolutionising diagnosis of brain tumours, strokes, and internal injuries. He and Cormack shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The CT scanner is now a standard fixture in hospitals worldwide, with over 80 million scans performed annually.
- Nationality: british
- Roles: engineer, inventor
