Who are we – the Radiologists?

Many patients have visited Imaging Department of the hospital for various imaging procedures. Some of the patients left the department without encountering us. Some of the patients know the existence of a radiologist when an ultrasound or interventional procedures were being performed on them. Some are really concerned about us for dealing with daily radiation.

In Imaging Department, there are several working groups of people to provide a complete set of radiological services. These include the radiologists, the radiographers and the nurses.

Radiologists are medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) who specialize 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), and Ultrasound.

Radiologists graduate from accredited medical schools, pass a licensing examination, and then go on to complete a residency of at least four years of unique post-graduate medical education in, among other topics:
 

1. Radiation safety and protection
2. Radiation effects on the human body
3. Appropriate performance and interpretation of quality radiological and medical imaging examinations

Radiological procedures are medically prescribed and should only be conducted by appropriately trained and certified radiologists.

We play a Key Role in Your Health by:
 

1. Acting as an expert consultant to your referring physician (the doctor who sent you to the radiology department or clinic for testing) by aiding him or her in choosing the proper examination, interpreting the resulting medical images, and in using test results in your care.
2. Treating diseases by means of minimally invasive, image-guided surgery (interventional radiology).
3. Correlating medical image findings with other examinations and tests.
4. Recommending further appropriate examinations or treatments when necessary, and conferring with referring physicians.
5. Directing radiology technologists (personnel who operate the equipment) in the proper performance of quality exams.