Radiologic Technologist: What’s Needed To Be One?
A radiologic technologist, also known as a radiographer, is a professional in the medical field who is responsible for taking medical images of the body, usually with an X-ray machine, and interpreting them in order to help doctors to diagnose and treat ailments and injuries. If one is interested in this medical field, education and training is needed and can be acquired from hospitals, universities, colleges 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 tech, 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. It is important that the radiology tech accurately complies with the doctor’s orders and follow the standards involving the proper use of radiographic equipment, as well as protecting themselves, patients and co-workers from unnecessary exposure to radiation. Besides preparation of patients and equipment operation, they can also keep track of patient records, maintain radiographic equipment, prepare work schedules, evaluate equipment acquisitions, and even management of a radiology department. As with most medical profession, being a radiologic technologist requires one to be in good physical shape and stamina, as they will most likely be working actively on their feet for long periods of time and may be needed to help lift or turn disabled patients. They may also work either full-time or part time, work on evenings or graveyard shifts, even on weekends or holidays depending on where they are working.