Written by Anushka Matta
Introduction
Behind the scenes of all body scans and x- rays, radiologists are the ones who are hard at work diagnosing and treating injuries using the medical imaging that provides crucial information of the patients’ bodies. Radiologists utilize a lot of medical technology to make proper diagnoses of the people’s injuries and diseases in order to treat the patients correctly. Radiology is a great profession that utilizes a lot of equipment, involving hands on experiences in the process!
Who are Radiologists?
A radiologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET), fusion imaging, and ultrasound. Radiologists play many roles in helping the patient solve their problems. They act as an expert consultant to the patient’s physician in order to help them interpret the medical images correctly and perform the correct examination in order to direct care properly. In some cases, some patients need radiation in order to help mediate and treat their disease in which radiologists help with the procedures. They also correlate the medical image finings with other examinations and tests and recommend further examinations or treatments and confer with other referring physicians. Radiologists also direct radiologic technologists in the proper performance of quality exams when they are dealing with medical technology. Radiologists mostly treat diseases that need medical imaging technology but they also treat cancer and heart disease through radiation or minimally invasive image-guided surgery. A lot of radiologists interact with other health professionals such as technologists, oncologists,emergency care, pediatrics, and physicians. Radiologists work in hospitals or medical facilities where radiation machines are available. Most work is done in an office setting, interpreting images, reading reports, and recording the results and diagnosis. Radiologists do not come in contact with patients a lot since most of the job includes interpreting results of radioactive images.
What does a radiologist do?
Radiologists are responsible for a wide variety of procedures and treatments. Radiologists help examine and interpret test results from medical technology, but they also provide radiation treatments for cancer patients. Some help inject radioactive tracers into the patient’s bloodstream as well in order to study the blood flow. They could do mammograms, x-rays, fluoroscopies, MRIs, PET scans, ultrasounds, and so much more. They work closely with other physicians to examine tests and come up with a fool proof and accurate medical treatment for the patient.
Branches of Radiology
Diagnostic Radiology: Helps health care providers see structures inside your body. Doctors that specialize in the interpretation of these images are called diagnostic radiologists. Using the diagnostic images, the radiologist or other physicians can often:
Diagnose the cause of your symptoms
Monitor how well your body is responding to a treatment you are receiving for your disease or condition
Screen for different illnesses, such as breast cancer, colon cancer, or heart disease
Diagnostic Radiology Exams include:
Computed Tomography
Fluoroscopy
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mammography
Nuclear Medicine-bone scan, thyroid scan, and thallium cardiac stress test
X- rays
Positron Emission Tomography
Ultrasound
Interventional Radiology: Doctors that use imaging such as CT, ultrasound, MRI, and fluoroscopy to help guide procedures. The imaging is helpful to the doctor when inserting catheters, wires, and other small instruments and tools into our body. It allows for smaller incisions. Doctors can use this technology to detect or treat conditions in almost any part of the body instead of directly looking inside of your body through a scope or with open surgery.
Interventional radiologists often are involved in treating cancers or tumors, blockages in the arteries and veins, fibroids in the uterus, back pain, liver problems, and kidney problems.
Interventional Radiology Procedures include:
Angiography or angioplasty
Embolization to control bleeding
Cancer treatments including tumor embolization using chemoembolization or Y-90 radioembolization
Tumor ablation with radiofrequency ablation,cryoablation, or microwave ablation
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
Needle biopsies of different organs, such as the lungs and thyroid gland
Uterine artery embolization
Feeding tube placement
Venous access catheter placement
Radiologic Technologist: Operates the equipment and works directly with the patient to obtain images.
Subspecialties of Radiology
Body Imaging: Thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic imaging, and performance of CT- and ultrasound-guided interventional procedures
Breast Imaging: Comprehensive diagnostic and interventional breast imaging services
Cardiothoracic Imaging: CHest Imaging and examinations to diagnose and assist in short- and long term patient care
Interventional Oncology: Image-guided, minimally invasive procedures and personalized treatment plans for adults and children with cancer
Musculoskeletal and Emergency Radiology: Musculoskeletal and emergency radiology services to evaluate and treat trauma, tumors and arthritis in patients
Neuroradiology: Sophisticated neuro-imaging or neurology, neurosurgery and ENT practices
Nuclear Medicine: Imaging and evaluation of neurologic, cardiovascular and oncologic disorders using radiopharmaceuticals
Pediatric Radiology: Diagnostic imaging exams by children’s doctors, nurses, and technologists committed to lower radiation doses in pediatric imaging
Womens Imaging: Convenient, quality car for women’s ultrasound and OB/GYN imaging services
Journey to Radiology
The preparation to become a radiologist starts in high school. In high school, students should take advanced science courses in anatomy, biology, chemistry, physiology, and physics.
Students should take math classes to facilitate the calculation of the reading of graphs. Additionally, Latin and foreign languages may b studied so medical terms can be familiarized and increase the capacity to communicate with different types of people.
When obtaining a bachelor’s degree, there is not a specific major that has to be pursued but concentrate in one that fulfills the pre-requisite classes that medical school requires. They must have classes such as microbiology, biochemistry, and human anatomy. Some classes that are recommended as well are English, Advanced Mathematics, and statistics. Most medical schools require a GPA of at least 3.5 or higher. During undergrad, students also need to gain experience in the medical field to set them apart. These activities could be things such as volunteering, job shadowing programs, research, and etc. Additionally, one must take the MCAT, a standardized test which is required for medical school applications.
After that, students must go through medical school for four years. The first two years is focused on course and lab work that prepares students intellectually for patient interaction. In the second year of medical school students must take the USMLE- Step 1 and receive a passing score, which then makes the students ready to begin supervised patient visits and gain clinical experience. The next two years of medical school involves Rotations. During this time, students have the opportunity to experience a variety of medical specialties and figure out what specialty they want to pursue. After the second part of medical school students take the USMLE- Step 2. This proves that the students have developed clinical knowledge and skills that they will need to transition into unsupervised medical practice.
After medical school, students then pursue residency/internship which is five to seven years for radiology. Residents spend long hours to learn more about their specialty and do procedures.After residency, students go onto fellowship. A fellow is a physician who elects to complete further training or a fellowship in a specialty or subspecialty after residency. All physicians need to get licensed which differs upon the state. After all exams and residency, states may require periodic license renewal. After that most employers seek certified candidates and get Board certified by the American Board of Radiology. Passing the boards establishes a radiologist's commitment to excellence in the field and increases credibility and marketability in the medical community. Although it is very rigorous, in the long term it is a very satisfying and interesting job to pursue!
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