Though both are extremely important players in your diagnostic and interventional care, radiologists and radiologic technologists perform different tasks and functions. Your technologist performs the radiological imaging test and your radiologist interprets the images produced by that test. In many cases, patients meet and work with their radiologic technologists and have minimal or no direct interaction with their radiologists, who are usually behind the scenes.
Radiologic Technologists
Radiologic technologists require extensive training and credentials across an array of imaging procedures and therapeutic treatments. Technologists undergo at least two to four years of fundamental education in anatomy, equipment use, safety protocols and more, and must pass a national exam certifying qualification. The subset of technologists who treat disease using radiation therapy must receive additional advanced education and training in how to perform these duties with the highest degree of safety and efficacy.
Technologists must continue to receive ongoing, continuing education in the services they perform, including x-ray, 3D mammography, MRI, CT, PET, nuclear medicine, DEXA bone density testing and others, to ensure utmost quality, accuracy and security. This is especially important as radiological technologies advance and change.
Radiologists
Radiologists are medical doctors, meaning they earned four-year bachelor’s degree including pre-med classes, went through four years of medical school, and served at least four years of residency training. Radiologists who choose to subspecialize in a practice area such as neuroradiology, nuclear medicine, interventional radiology or other(s) must go through one or more years of fellowship training in each subspecialty. All of RAO’s radiologists have passed exams for Board certification for added security and assurance of best practices.
RAO’s radiologists are also highly trained in our wide array of ever-advancing imaging equipment, so they know how to utilize each technology to achieve the highest degree of diagnostic and interventional accuracy and quality. Our doctors never send images out for interpretation as some other diagnostic centers do. Our radiologists personally and studiously scrutinize each and every image for the earliest signs of disease and work directly with referring doctors and clinicians when needed to determine best practices for optimal patient care.
So, while you may not get to know your radiologist during your exam, please know they are deeply committed to your safety, peace of mind and ongoing health.
