What is a Radiologist?

A radiologist is a medical doctor that uses medical images to diagnosis diseases and injuries. They use X-rays, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and positron emission tomography (PET) as their tools. Based on those images, they can diagnose injuries like fractures, infections, like appendicitis, cancers, and more. Radiologists are often considered a doctor’s doctor because they typically only communicate with other doctors. Radiologists play in important role in your health as an expert consultant to your doctor.

Radiologists are very knowledgeable with many disease processes and how they affect the human body. The training consists of medical school, a general medicine or surgery intern year, a four year residency, and often an additional fellowship of very specialized training. Subspecialties include Breast, Chest, Emergency, Abdominal, Musculoskeletal, Pediatric, and Neuroradiology. Some radiologist also treat patients using image-guided, minimally invasive techniques. This can often be done in place of surgery.

The next time you get an x-ray or CT scan, the radiologist will be there, reading your exam and generating a report for your doctor to tell them what they saw and what could be causing your symptoms. Radiologists are the behind-the-scenes expert consultant, on your side.