Although the idea of radiology is fairly understood, the people who work in radiology are not often known for what they bring to the field of medicine.
Considering this week marks both the International Day of Radiology (Nov. 8) and Radiologist Tech Week (Nov. 6-12), it’s important to know about those who care for you in a crucially different way: radiology techs and radiologists (doctors of radiology).
At its most basic definition, radiology is a medical specialty that uses imaging to diagnose and treat disease within the body. A radiology tech (also called a radiologic technologist or radiographer) conducts imaging using a variety of devices relying on radiation, sound, or magnetism to create images which are then interpreted by a diagnostic radiologist (a radiologist is a doctor specialized in radiology). The interpretation is provided to your clinician for follow-up and treatment.
While our techs interact regularly with our patients, our radiologists are often “behind the screen” working to determine what the images are showing about your body. So, you don’t always see these doctors. Make no mistake, their credentials testify to their rigorous schooling and they are doctors in every sense of the word. Take a look at some of RMI’s radiologists for more details.
In a few notable exceptions, you may meet one of our radiologists for an interventional procedure such as a biopsy or kyphoplasty.
As much as they would love to meet each patient, our doctors have another very important client: your physician. One way to think of radiologists is that of a “doctor’s doctor.” That’s right – our RMI radiologists are here to help your doctor get answers to what is going on inside your body. They are puzzle-solvers, detectives, and analysts – peering into the carefully created images taken by our experienced technicians you meet at an appointment.
So next time you’re in for an x-ray, ultrasound, PET/CT, or MRI, give a nice smile to your radiology technician and be sure to let them know you appreciate the radiologist as well. As a team, they work with your doctor for your better health.
Follow these link to learn more about the International Day of Radiology and the National Radiologic Technology Week.
