Radiology is a specialization in the field of medical diagnosis in which radiation or radiant energy is used for creating images of affected body parts.  Commencing with x-ray technology which was confined to detecting skeletal disorders and foreign bodies in humans, radiology has advanced to use of this technique in form of ultrasound, CT scan, MRI or magnetic resonance imaging and fluoroscopy. Being a vital stage of diagnosis, a radiologist has an important role to play in the course of a patient’s treatment. Hence his interpretation of the images has to be accurate. Due to the low cost, speed and convenience of availability plain radiography is still used as the first step in investigation, especially for chest infection or skeletal problems.

We see that all general practitioners have elementary knowledge of radiology. A radiologist is an expert who gives inputs after studying the images upon which other specialist doctors, who have referred their cases, can base their treatment. He therefore needs to take utmost care while expressing his opinion. He has to examine the medical images and determine the extent of damage a particular injury has caused or identify an abnormality, which could be in form of a tumor, swelling, tearing of ligament, fracture etc. In view of its significance, accuracy in taking images, irrespective of the technique used, is of utmost importance as a small mistake can mislead the interpretation and cause irreparable damage.

A radiologist must complete four years in a recognized medical school, followed by a residency program of four years to practice radiology. Apart from this, he must also obtain a license by passing the requisite examination. Further, he may also obtain certification from the American Board of Radiology. A radiologist may further take up sub-specialization in other related fields. Some of the specializations are mentioned below:

Pediatric Radiology: This specialist field deals with detecting diseases and conditions specific to children.

Interventional Radiology: The process involves minimum use of invasive interventional procedures. It includes imaging blood vessels such as in case of angioplasty, angiography and stent placement; tube and line placement, abscess and fluid drainage.

Nuclear Radiology: This field deals with imaging the body parts by inserting very small amounts of radioactive material. The process is used in diagnosing disease and conditions related to the skeletal system, heart, lungs and all other internal organs. It is also used for treating conditions such as thyroid cancer and hyperactive thyroid gland. The imaging techniques employed include PET/CT and gamma imaging.

Radiation Oncology: This field is dedicated to diagnosing and treating cancer, using radiation. The radiation is either injected inside the body or delivered using an outside source of X-ray.

A radiologist may work in a hospital, research institute or private laboratories. He does not work in isolation and requires assistance from technologist who operates and maintains the equipments used for imaging, storing and viewing the images.

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