The first time The Johns Hopkins Hospital used an X-ray machine for patient care was in September 1896—seven years after the hospital opened—on a female shooting victim who had a bullet lodged in her spine. History tells us two residents used the brand new, hand-cranked X-ray to find the bullet’s location. In 1906, the department performed 1,000 exams in one year. And 122 years later, Johns Hopkins is celebrating another breakthrough in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Science—1 million exams performed in one year.

To mark the occasion, Barbara Zink, the patient receiving the 1 millionth exam, was greeted with bright turquoise balloons, giant chocolate chip cookies and pink and blue bags at the Johns Hopkins Medical Imaging Center in Columbia, Maryland.

“Your yearly mammogram is not always easy,” says Zink. “But Johns Hopkins’ care is excellent, the treatment is wonderful and I’m always greeted with a smile, so it makes everything better.”

Jennifer Ching, the senior mammography technologist who performed Zink’s exam, says she strives to get the best images possible. “Being part of a process that can change a person’s life and contributing to their health and well-being is my passion; and it’s surreal to be making history today.”

Karen Horton, director of radiology for Johns Hopkins Medicine, thinks this is just the beginning. “Radiology will continue to grow as we strive to integrate radiology throughout the Johns Hopkins Health System and into the community. Our goal is to provide high-tech imaging in a high-touch environment, always putting the patient’s needs and referring physician’s needs first.”

Last year Sibley Memorial Hospital and Suburban Hospital integrated with the Johns Hopkins Department of Radiology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. The Department of Radiology also acquired an imaging center in Bethesda, adding to the existing Johns Hopkins Medical Imaging centers in White Marsh, Green Spring and Columbia. This means when patients come in for an X-ray, mammogram, CT scan, MRI or other imaging exam at any Johns Hopkins radiology location, they will receive the same quality of care.