What is Radiology?

V. Iyengar, Editor-in-Chief
📍 Silicon Valley, USA

Radiology is a medical specialty that uses images produced by radiant energy to diagnose and treat diseases. Radiant energy is used in technologies like X-rays, Computed tomography (CT), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Nuclear medicine, Positron emission tomography (PET) and Ultrasound. There a several types of radiologists.

Diagnostic Radiologists

Diagnostic Radiologists use various imaging technologies to take images of the inside of the body. They then use these images diagnose and/or detect These radiologists may specialize in a subspecialty like breast, cardiovascular, chest, emergency, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, head and neck, musculoskeletal, neuro and pediatric.

Interventional Radiologists

Interventional Radiologists diagnose and treat conditions such as stroke, cancer, heart disease, etc using images such as X-rays and MRI. The procedures they perform are typically minimally invasive and they usually do not have to make large incisions. 

Radiation Oncologists

The radiologists specialize in treating cancer patients. They monitor the patient’s progress and the prognosis of his/her disease. Based on this information, they will prescribe treatments plans based on these images. 

Nuclear Medicine Physicians

Nuclear medicine radiologists use radiopharmaceuticals, which are drugs that contain radioactive isotopes, to diagnose and treat diseases. They may inject radioactive materials to create better images to see specific diseases, or, they may administer oral drugs or inhalants to create better images to see diseases. They also may use radiopharmaceuticals to treat diseases such as thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism, hematologic malignancies and bone metastases.

Radiologists also typically specialize in a disease or a close family of diseases and a specific piece of equipment that they operate. Radiologists must complete a residency program after obtaining a bachelor’s degree and completing medical school.