A Machine Called Indomitable

The Remarkable Story of a Scientist's Inspiration, Invention, and Medical Breakthrough

By: Sonny Kleinfield

Narrated by: Paul Cirzan

The remarkable epic of an invention that revolutionized medicine…

Dr. Raymond Damadian was plagued with a mysterious and persistent stomach pain, yet physicians assured him that they could find nothing wrong. To find the answer to his ailment, Damadian would spend the ensuing twelve years building a machine that would change medicine. Nuclear magnetic resonance scanning, now called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was a revolution: A safe means to determine the makeup of every cell in the human body, distinguishing healthy cells from sick. Although Damadian's ideas were met with skepticism and outright opposition from the medical community, this machine would go on to save the lives of millions by diagnosing disease while effective treatment was still possible. In short, it was a medical miracle.

The story of Damadian's quest - battling skeptical peers, money troubles, and more with an intensity approaching obsession - is one of the great legends of medical research. Sonny Kleinfield, acclaimed reporter and author, captures Damadian's remarkable triumph against the odds with compassion and a keen eye.

A Machine Called Indomitable is scientific storytelling at its finest.

©1981 Sonny Kleinfield (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Inspiring and Accurate

Very well-written. The subject matter might not hold everyone's interest, and the ratio of scientific explanations to coverage of personal interaction is about 50:50. Read it if you're interested in the invention of the MRI, or if you're interested in the atmosphere of competition in the medical science field during the 1970s, or if you like inspiring success stories that involve oddball people. I'm related to someone who was on the original FONAR team. Based on my knowledge of events, the subject was researched in-depth, and the personal quotes and anecdotes sound accurate to me.