Radiography uses the science of radiation to produce images of tissues and organs. Read on to learn more about radiography and those who work within the field.
Radiography is used by medical professionals to diagnose and treat medical conditions. The diagnostic side of radiography uses specialized equipment to create images, such as X-rays, that show the inside of the human body. X-rays can be recorded on film or as a computerized image. Radiography can also treat internal malignancies like tumours. A doctor who specializes is called a radiologist, while an assistant is referred to as a radiological technologist.
According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), a radiological technologist is part of a medical staff team responsible for taking diagnostic images and performing radiation therapy treatments. These professionals are trained in several core areas important to radiography, including
- Patient positioning
- Anatomy
- Equipment protocols
- Radiation safety
- Radiation protection
- Patient care
Another important part of the radiography medical staff team is the radiologist. A radiologist is a medical doctor who typically works in a diagnostic imaging department. Many radiologists specialize a subspeciality of radiography.
Radiologists and radiological technologists may specialize in a specific area of radiography. The following is a list of some specializations within the field:
- Diagnostic radiology
- Vascular and interventional radiology
- Radiation oncology
- Paediatric radiology
- Nuclear radiology
- Pain medicine
- Neuroradiology