Xu Jingbo (1908–2002) was a second-grade professor of radiology and former Director of the Department of Radiology at Renji Hospital.

Introduction

    Every flower, at the end of its bloom, returns quietly to the earth. Yet when spring returns to the grasslands, life begins anew. Some souls, however, do not fade—they live on, nourished in the hearts of others. He was one of those souls.

    A pioneer of medical imaging in China, he devoted his life to bridging radiology and surgery, laying the foundation for the development of interventional procedures.

    "A radiologist should become the sharp eyes of the clinician, guided by a deep understanding of medicine."
    This was his favorite motto in life—one that continues to inspire young doctors at Renji Hospital today. It reminds them to uphold a spirit of responsibility, precision, and dedication in their practice of diagnostic radiology.

The Path to Medicine: The Early Years of Xu Jingbo

    Xu Jingbo was born in 1908 into a modest farming family in Danyang, Jiangsu Province. He lost his father at a young age, and although the family struggled financially, his older brother remained committed to his education, supporting him through secondary school.

    Determined to build a better future, Xu worked tirelessly and was eventually admitted to the medical school at Aurora University. There, he not only pursued his studies with diligence but also formed strong bonds with like-minded classmates who shared his hopes for China’s future.

    In those years, China was experiencing deep turmoil. Foreign concessions divided the city of Shanghai, and entrenched powers controlled much of the country’s wealth and influence. These conditions led many Chinese, especially young students like Xu, to feel a growing sense of national crisis.

    Xu became actively involved in student movements calling for national unity and resistance to foreign domination. Like many of his peers, he spoke out passionately in support of his people and their dignity. However, mounting political pressure eventually forced him to withdraw from his studies.

    Yet Xu never gave up his dream of studying medicine. In 1928, through a fortunate turn of events, he received the opportunity to study at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. For the 21-year-old, it was both a tremendous opportunity and a formidable challenge.

    The medical school campus at Leuven left a lasting impression on him. Even in his later years, Xu could vividly recall the pink petals that drifted down from blooming trees, softly touching the elegant stone walls of the university buildings. He described the place as one of calm, beauty, and quiet inspiration.

    Stepping into the old lecture halls, Xu felt the solemn but welcoming atmosphere. He was fascinated by the microscopes, anatomical models, and medical instruments that filled the laboratory—a space where knowledge and science were passed down with both precision and grace.

    Xu’s time abroad was not without hardship. Adapting to a foreign culture, language, and academic rigor was no easy task. He often studied late into the night, determined to keep pace with his peers. His perseverance paid off. Over time, he earned the respect of his professors and made substantial academic progress. In 1936, after years of dedicated work, Xu received his doctorate in medicine. He then spent the following year working at the university’s affiliated oncology hospital.

    In 1937, as war broke out in China and medical supplies grew scarce, Xu made a life-changing decision: he gave up a promising research career in Belgium and returned home to contribute his skills where they were most needed.

    To Xu, serving his country meant more than words—it meant action. Upon his return, he joined the Sino-Belgian Radium Institute (the predecessor of today’s Shanghai Cancer Hospital) as a radiologist, where his talent and commitment soon stood out.

    At the time, the institute was extremely limited in resources, with only two doctors and about twenty patient beds. But the staff remained deeply committed to their mission, providing tumor diagnosis and treatment services to the public. The hospital even allowed low-income patients to apply for free cancer care—an act of compassion that brought warmth and hope to many during a dark and difficult time.

    Amid the ongoing war, operating the hospital became increasingly difficult. To keep the facility safe from destruction, Xu led multiple relocations. In October 1937, the hospital moved temporarily to 45 Route du Père Robert (now Yueyang Road), within the French Concession. By September 1938, it had moved again to 1729 Avenue Joffre (now Huaihai Road).

    During this period, a striking incident underscored Xu’s courage. A Japanese officer once burst into the hospital demanding that the staff surrender their radium supplies, claiming they were interfering with radio transmissions. Confronted by armed soldiers, Xu stood firm. He warned that removing the radium without proper precautions could lead to deadly radiation exposure. His calm but firm stance unsettled the intruders, who eventually backed down and left empty-handed.

    Xu knew that radium was a critical resource for cancer treatment—a lifeline for patients. Protecting it was not just a matter of principle, but a matter of life and death.

    In 1943, Xu was appointed professor of radiology at Southeast Medical College in Shanghai, and in 1945, he became acting director and chief of radiology at the Sino-Belgian Radium Institute.

    Later that year, at a joint meeting of representatives from China’s Ministry of Health and the Belgian Medical Society in China, Xu was officially named Director of the Institute. With this appointment, he saw a broader path ahead—not just for his own work, but for the future of radiological medicine in China.

    In 1947, the institute added several modern X-ray machines, including Philips diagnostic and contact therapy units—equipment that gave new momentum to its clinical capacity.

    That October, Xu traveled to the United States to pursue further study in radiology. At University Hospital in Philadelphia, he immersed himself in learning the latest advancements in radiation therapy. He often spent long nights reviewing complex medical texts and took advantage of weekends and holidays to catch up on the material.

    In 1948, after months of intense study, he earned his license to practice as a radiologist in the U.S. More importantly, his time in America gave him access to cutting-edge technology and medical management strategies. He returned home with a renewed vision for modernizing cancer care in China.

    Upon his return, Xu worked tirelessly to integrate what he had learned abroad into the broader strategy for the institute’s development. At a time when domestic medical infrastructure was still in its early stages, he sought out opportunities to introduce advanced technologies and systems. He firmly believed that progress in cancer care required constant learning, global awareness, and a commitment to innovation, so that more patients could benefit from ever-evolving treatment methods.

    In May 1949, Shanghai was liberated, and by February 1950, the city’s military administration formally took over the management of the Sino-Belgian Radium Institute.

Innovation and Progress: Advancing Medical Imaging in China

    After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Dr. Xu Jingbo joined the Department of Radiology at Renji Hospital, serving as a special advisor.

    Between 1950 and 1952, Xu took on even greater responsibilities. Convinced that a developing nation could not move forward without advancing radiology, he accepted a teaching appointment as Professor of Clinical Radiology at St. John’s University Medical School, while simultaneously serving as Director of Radiology at both the Fourth and Fifth Municipal Hospitals of Shanghai. These were challenging years for Chinese medicine. Medical infrastructure was limited, and resources were scarce. Xu understood the gravity of his role—not only advancing clinical care but also building a foundation for medical education.

    He often stayed up late preparing lectures, reviewing student work, and assisting physicians with diagnosis and treatment. He maintained high standards for his students, urging them to integrate theory with hands-on practice and to think critically in the pursuit of innovation.

    In 1952, Xu accepted a new position as Professor and Head of the Department of Radiology at Shanghai Second Medical College. In this role, he actively reformed medical education, encouraged research in radiological techniques, and contributed to academic writing and curriculum development. Through this work, he accumulated extensive practical and teaching experience that laid the groundwork for future generations of radiologists and educators.

    His leadership during this period was pivotal. In 1953, Xu was officially appointed Director of Radiology at Renji Hospital, where he dedicated himself fully to modernizing and expanding the department.

    One of his landmark achievements came in 1956, when Xu introduced femoral artery catheterization for lower limb angiography—a technique that had never before been performed in China. He had long recognized the limitations of existing methods for diagnosing complex arterial diseases of the lower extremities. After extensive experimentation, Xu successfully carried out the procedure, marking a breakthrough in vascular imaging in the country.

    This innovation quickly gained nationwide attention and was adopted across hospitals in China, offering a new diagnostic tool for patients with peripheral artery conditions.

    In 1978, following a period of national upheaval, Xu collaborated with surgical teams to develop venography techniques for evaluating the peripheral venous system. This method, which uses X-rays and contrast agents to visualize veins, was still relatively undeveloped in China at the time. Xu led research efforts to improve the accuracy and accessibility of the technique for diagnosing conditions such as deep vein thrombosis, superficial thrombophlebitis, venous malformations, and vascular tumors.

    Today, venography is a widely used diagnostic tool in modern medicine. Its ability to provide detailed imaging of veins in the legs, abdomen, pelvis, neck, and brain has become essential to clinical decision-making. The early development and refinement of this technique in China would not have been possible without the pioneering efforts of physicians like Xu Jingbo.

    Beyond venography, Xu was also known for his close collaborations with physicians in other departments. He worked with noted specialists such as Shen Mouji and Zhu Xiaoting to explore more advanced double-contrast gastrointestinal imaging techniques aimed at improving diagnostic accuracy. Their extensive trials and studies generated intriguing findings that attracted considerable attention in the medical community.

    Meanwhile, Xu and his research team began another important project: the intubation method for small bowel imaging. This diagnostic procedure uses oral contrast agents and specialized tubing to visualize the structure and function of the small intestine via X-rays. It is particularly useful in detecting conditions such as small bowel tumors, obstructions, and Crohn’s disease.

    Xu and his colleagues were among the first in China to adopt this method on a large scale. Their work greatly advanced the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal diseases and helped establish Renji Hospital as a national leader in small bowel imaging.   

Writing, Translating, and Advancing: A Lifelong Commitment to Radiological Knowledge

    Throughout his life, Dr. Xu Jingbo remained deeply engaged in academic writing, contributing to and co-authoring dozens of medical publications that helped shape the field of diagnostic imaging in China.

   In 1953, he came across Angiocardiography, a pioneering textbook authored by Charles T. Dotter and Israel Steinberg. At the time, it was one of the most popular works in the field of vascular imaging. The book offered a detailed overview of cardiovascular angiography, including its historical development, preparation protocols, selection and dosage of contrast agents, injection techniques, and post-procedure management. It also featured radiographic interpretations of the heart and great vessels in various projections, and outlined diagnostic imaging characteristics of conditions such as rheumatic valvular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, syphilitic heart disease, aneurysms, as well as congenital abnormalities. In addition, it covered radiological signs associated with pericardial effusion, mediastinal and pulmonary tumors, and both specific and nonspecific inflammatory diseases.

    Xu immediately recognized the book’s clinical value, not only for radiologists but also for physicians in thoracic surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, and pediatrics. He believed that introducing such a comprehensive resource would help clinicians and medical students alike deepen their understanding of cardiovascular diagnostics and modern radiologic practices. With this vision in mind, he organized a translation effort and, in June 1958, published the Chinese edition of Angiocardiography, making its insights widely available to Chinese readers and significantly advancing the field of cardiovascular imaging.

    In 1985, drawing on his decades of clinical and academic experience, Xu published one of his most influential original works, X-ray Diagnosis and Treatment of Peripheral Vascular Diseases. This textbook combined his firsthand clinical observations with the latest international research, offering over 250 vascular images and more than 50 detailed illustrations. The book provided a well-rounded, practical reference for medical students, radiologists, and vascular surgeons, and contributed meaningfully to the training of the next generation of professionals in the field.

    Always a believer in interdisciplinary collaboration, Xu worked closely with colleagues across specialties and contributed to numerous major publications, including X-ray Diagnostics (a volume of the Chinese Medical Encyclopedia), Theory and Practice of Internal Medicine, Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric X-ray Diagnostics, Clinical Gastroenterology, Parasitology, Gastric Cancer, Cardiovascular Surgery, and Double-Contrast Imaging of the Gastrointestinal Tract. These contributions reflected his vision of radiology as a central, evolving force within modern medicine—one that must continually draw from and contribute to other disciplines in order to meet the growing demands of patient care.

Bridging Medicine and Engineering: A Legacy of Innovation

    In the 1970s, a new interdisciplinary field began to flourish in China: biomedical engineering. In its early stages, the industry primarily focused on the development of medical equipment and devices. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Shanghai quickly emerged as the nation’s most concentrated and advanced hub for medical device manufacturing. Favorable policies and an encouraging research environment nurtured the birth of biomedical engineering societies and laid the foundation for increasingly close collaboration between medicine and engineering. In fact, Shanghai was at the forefront of this movement, and many of China’s most important advances in medical technology were closely tied to the development of biomedical engineering in the city.

    Dr. Xu Jingbo played a pivotal role in this transformation. Since the early years of the new China, he had actively supported a wide range of medical imaging research projects, offering both clinical expertise and academic guidance. He also served as a longtime advisor, contributing to the planning and launch of the Radiological Engineering Research Committee within the Shanghai Biomedical Engineering Society.

    As early as 1951, during a period when China was focused on self-reliance and rebuilding, a group of engineers and technicians at the Shanghai Precision Medical Equipment Factory began developing a new diagnostic X-ray machine with strong backing from the government. The project faced numerous challenges and setbacks, but through tireless collaboration between clinicians and engineers, the team achieved success. In September 1952, the prototype was completed and named “Guoqing No. 1”—a symbolic gift for the third anniversary of the founding of the nation.

    Around the same time, a similar breakthrough occurred at the Northeast Precision Medical Instrument Factory, where another prototype X-ray machine was successfully developed. Both machines were later exhibited at the Second National Exhibition of Public Health Achievements held at the Working People’s Cultural Palace in Beijing, marking a milestone in China’s medical equipment innovation.

    On February 28, 1990, the Radiological Engineering Research Committee of the Shanghai Biomedical Engineering Society was officially established—an important event in the development of China’s medical imaging sector. Dr. Xu was invited to attend the founding ceremony and delivered a keynote address.

    Following the society’s establishment, Xu took on even greater responsibilities. He actively promoted domestic innovation in imaging technology, participated in numerous scientific research projects, and worked tirelessly to advance biomedical engineering in China. His efforts contributed significantly to the development of homegrown imaging equipment and to the broader modernization of China’s healthcare system.

    As one of the country’s leading radiologists, Xu’s contributions to medicine were immeasurable. Over more than six decades of teaching and clinical practice, he never stopped deepening his knowledge, refining his skills, or exploring new frontiers in the medical sciences. He shared his expertise generously, mentoring countless young physicians and medical students. His passion for medicine and profound respect for life left a lasting impression on all who worked with him, making him a role model for generations of healthcare professionals.

    Though Xu received many honors and awards throughout his career, what mattered most to him was the practical impact of his work—the improved care and outcomes for patients. His lifelong dedication to medical research and application, particularly in radiology, helped establish the role of medical imaging as an essential tool in disease diagnosis and treatment.

    On January 24, 2002, Dr. Xu Jingbo passed away. His life was marked by integrity, humility, and fearless dedication. He gave freely of his knowledge and skill, always placing patients and students first. His contributions to medicine, his mentorship, and his spirit will forever be remembered at Renji Hospital, and his legacy will continue to inspire those who follow in his footsteps.

Editor: 
Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn
Li Yijing (An intern from Ohio State University) 

Note: Chinese Sources from “The Path of Benevolent Medicine” which was published in 2024. It records 90 important medical figures in the history of Renji Hospital. Yewen Renyi (ShanghaiDoctor.cn) team was one of the major writer of the book and is authorized by Renji hospital to create English version on the website of ShanghaiDoctor.cn