Medical imaging services, also known as radiology services, are crucial in a variety of medical settings and at all levels of health care. Medical imaging refers to several different technologies that are used to view the human body to diagnose, monitor, or treat medical conditions.
Medical imaging technologists perform imaging examinations and are responsible for accurately positioning patients and ensuring that a quality diagnostic image is produced. They work closely with radiologists and physicians who interpret medical images to diagnose diseases and injuries. For the images to be interpreted correctly by the radiologist, the imaging examination must first be performed properly by a medical imaging technologist.
Medical imaging technologists often specialize in a particular diagnostic imaging area. Careers in medical imaging include:
Radiologic technologists who perform imaging examinations are responsible for accurately positioning patients and ensuring that a quality diagnostic image is produced. They work closely with radiologists, the physicians who interpret medical images to diagnose diseases and injuries. For the images to be interpreted correctly by the radiologist, the imaging examination must first be performed properly by an R.T. Radiologic technologists often specialize in a particular diagnostic imaging area:
Radiographers use radiation (x-rays) to produce 2-D, black-and-white images of the patient’s anatomy. These images are usually recorded digitally with modern equipment. Radiographs may be used to detect bone fractures, find foreign objects in the body, and demonstrate the relationship between bone and soft tissue. The most common type of radiography exam is chest radiography, which is commonly performed to evaluate the heart or lungs for pathologic conditions such as pneumonia.
Computed Tomography Technologists use a rotating x-ray unit and sensor assembly to observe “slices” of anatomy within the body. During processing, the computer stacks and assembles the individual slices, creating a series of diagnostic images that physicians can cycle through. With CT scans, physicians can view the inside of organs layer by layer, a feat not possible with general radiography. Computed tomography images can be reconstructed to create a 3-D representation of the anatomy of interest.
Vascular Interventional Technologists use sophisticated imaging techniques to help guide catheters, vena cava filters, stents or other interventional tools through the veins and arteries of the body. Using these techniques, many diseases can be treated internally, without open surgery. This form of treatment often requires patients to be sedated and is commonly referred to as micro-surgery. Interventional radiography is one of few medical imaging modalities that offers 4-D imaging, in which a 3-D image can be viewed, manipulated and used intraprocedurally in real time.
Nuclear Medicine Technologists administer trace amounts of radiopharmaceuticals to a patient, and use a special scanner to detect gamma rays emitted by the radiopharmaceuticals and create an image of the body part under examination. This study obtains functional information about organs, tissues and bone.
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Are you ready to ramp up your college’s ability to provide innovative training to medical imaging technologists across the country?
The power and expertise of Unmudl’s Community and Technical College Network (CTCN) engages to respond to medical imaging workforce needs through on-going collaboration and coordination. CTCN helps colleges make the best use of limited instructional resources, and limited clinical slots in order to expand the pipeline of technologists entering the medical imaging field.
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