We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Procedures

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Radiology?

By Sherry Holetzky
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 28,729
Share

Radiology is the use of radiation for different types of "imaging," including X-rays. Imaging simply means creating an image of the inner configuration of a dense object, such as part of the human body, with the use of radiant energy. Radiology is also sometimes called radioscopy or Clinical Radiology, the latter due to the many uses of imaging techniques for diagnosis as well as treatment of injury or disease. Imaging includes X-rays, radiant dye, ultrasound, CT scan and MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging.

In the medical field, radiology is a specialization. A radiologist reads or interprets an image to pinpoint an injury, determine how serious the injury is or help detect abnormalities such as tumors. This is why patients frequently have to wait for the "official" results of an X-ray or other image even if the primary caregiver has reviewed it. A specialist in radiology must also interpret the results and consult with the physician or offer a report of his or her findings in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis. Clinics and medical facilities that do not employ an on-site radiologist must send the image out for interpretation and await the findings.

Radiology is an important component of diagnosis and treatment, so the radiologist has a great responsibility to obtain clear, distinct images and review them with extreme care. Faulty images or interpretations can lead to missing things or even to misdiagnosis of the patient's condition. Obtaining high quality images through radiology can be difficult when a patient is in pain or suffering from illness, so a radiologist or imaging tech must have an excellent bedside manner.

The radiologist must also be able to comfort the patient, keeping him or her calm, and able to explain radiology procedures clearly to reduce the patient's anxiety. He or she must also thoroughly observe the patient's medical records and ask questions to ensure that X-rays or other imaging techniques are not particularly risky for a specific patient, for example, a woman that is or could be pregnant. Since radiology techniques require the use of radiation, a tech must also protect him or herself and the patient from the possible dangers associated with radiation.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By lilwes423 — On Apr 26, 2011

I am still in high school and I am having a hard time finding a future carer. I recently came across the medical field and I am more focusing on the carer of a medical tech. I am looking more into a radiology tech, but I am kind of concerned if it is hard to get a job as a radiology tech or any med tech in general. And I am kind of wondering about the wages. If anyone has any answers or any advice please get back to me.

By anon40185 — On Aug 06, 2009

i just graduated high school and i am about to start studying this is college. This can help me out a lot.

By anon27775 — On Mar 05, 2009

this site has lots of useful information......

but my question is how much does a radioligist make?

By anon4263 — On Oct 10, 2007

I don't know how I can say in commenting at this website, I am not a doctor nor a nurse, I am a manager, but I appreciate you letting me know all about technology of Hospitals; and different diseases and how they can be treated. In reality, I learned more about this website. Be Successful even in your plans.

Thank you.

GASORE Nkunda Prince

Kigali/RWANDA

Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-is-radiology.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.