This image is one of hundreds of xeroradiographs taken by Shelia Pinkel at the Xerox Medical Research Center in Pasadena, California from 1978-1985. The commercial name for this technology is mammography and is used to detect cancerous breast tissue. Pinkel was greatly affected by the work of Anna Atkins who used cyanotype during the mid-19th century to better understand the structure of the natural world. As Pinkel continued doing this work she fell in love with the beauty and complexity of the structures revealed and their potential to symbolize broader cultural meaning.
[Shelia Pinkel, "X-RAY EYES: A MEDITATION AT THE MILLENNIUM," accessed April 3, 2019, follow the external link below for direct source.]