A radiologic technologist, who can also be referred to as a radiographer, is a medical professional tasked with producing medical images of the body, commonly with an X-ray equipment, analyzing the results and referring them to physicians in order to help them make diagnosis and provide treatment for the sick and injured. Should you be interested in taking on this medical career, formal education and training is the primary requirement, which can be given by hospitals, colleges, universities and radiology tech schools.
The term radiologic technologist is actually a general term which may refer to several specialties within this medical field. A professional in this field may also be called a radiographer, sonographer and therapist, all of them having different specializations. They also make use of sophisticated medical equipment in order to produce high quality images of the body.
As a radiology technician, you can specialize in different areas, examples of which are Diagnostic Radiography for examining bones, cavities and foreign object in the body, Sonography which employs high-frequency ultrasound to take images of the body, and Radiotherapy which uses radiation to reduce or eliminate cancerous cells. Other examples are Fluoroscopy, CT or Computed Tomography, MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nuclear Medicine and Mammography.
A radiologic technologist’s primary responsibility is to prepare patients for the scanning procedure that they will undergo and explaining to them everything they need to know in order to successfully capture images. Since X-rays are the common equipment used, they must make sure that patients are not wearing any interfering objects like jewelries and ensure that they get utmost protection from too much radiation thru the use of lead shields.
Radiographers make use radiographic equipment by properly positioning it at the correct angle and height over the area of the patient’s body that needs to be scanned. With the help of an instrument similar to a measuring tape, they are able to determine the appropriate thickness of the area to be scanned and control the equipment to provide images of the right detail, contrast and density. They then position an X-ray film underneath the body part to be scanned and make the exposure, after which the film gets developed for analysis.
A radiologic technologist must be able to follow the directions given to him by the doctor, as well as the safety standards set by his workplace in operation of radiographic equipment, and ensure his safety, including patients and co-workers as well. They can also be tasked with keeping patient records, maintain medical equipment, organize work schedules, review equipment purchases, and also manage a radiology department.
Like most medical practitioners, being a radiologic technologist means one must be in excellent physical health, and able to deal with everyday stress, as the work can involve a lot of physically challenging tasks like lifting patients and heavy equipment. They may also work either full-time or part-time, have late night shifts, and even work on weekends or holidays if their workplace needs them to.
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