What is radiology, and who is a radiologist?
Radiology is the discipline of medical imaging, i.e., conducting a series of tests that take images or photographs of various body parts. It is critical in the diagnosis of many diseases, especially cancer. Some standard radiological tests are X-ray scans, MRIs, and CT scans.
A radiologist diagnoses and treats a wide range of difficult-to-diagnose and complex conditions. They use radiology procedures and correlate findings with other examinations and tests. They recommend further appropriate treatments or examinations when necessary and confer with other physicians. They collaborate with radiology technicians, who manage and operate the radiological machinery.
Education and training of a radiologist
A radiologist first completes at least four years of medical school. They spend the first two years in the classroom learning anatomy, pathology, biochemistry, and pharmacology. They spend the following two years in clinical rotations. They work in all medical field areas, acquiring mentorship and hands-on experience. After finishing medical school, they appear for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
After medical school, they complete a residency, typically four years. Some may undergo an additional one or two-year fellowship in a radiology specialty. Some radiologists clear a certification or core exam to become board-certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR).
What are the branches of radiology?
The three main branches of radiology are:
- Diagnostic radiology - uses several radiological studies to detect and treat diseases. Diagnostic radiologists work closely with physicians to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Interventional radiology - is used to detect, diagnose, and treat various medical conditions by inserting small tools. X-ray and imaging techniques like ultrasound guide it.
- Radiation oncology - This field of radiology focuses on overseeing treatment plans for cancer patients. Radiation oncologists use different radiation modalities to treat cancers.
What are the different subspecialties of radiologists?
A radiologist specializes in one or more subspecialties of radiology. Following are the different radiologist subspecialties:
- Abdominal imaging radiologist— diagnoses and formulates a treatment plan by imaging the pelvis and abdomen. It includes the urinary system, genitals, and digestive tract.
- Nuclear radiologist— specializes in testing and treating people using nuclear imaging. They treat cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's, organ function, and internal bleeding.
- Pediatric radiologists— treat childhood disorders that can impact adulthood. They used imaging and interventional techniques to diagnose, treat, and manage congenital abnormalities and diseases specific to infants and children.
- Cardiothoracic radiologist— uses imaging procedures like computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and routine radiography.
- Pain medicine radiologist— treats chronic, acute, or cancer pain in outpatient settings and hospitals with other specialists.
What should you know about quality and safety in medical imaging?
Radiologic procedures like CT, MRI, and PET scans should only be conducted by properly trained and certified physicians when medically necessary.
Radiologists are specialized medical doctors who undergo at least four years of rigorous post-medical school training focused on radiation safety, the accurate execution of imaging procedures, and the interpretation of medical images. In contrast, other medical professionals may receive significantly less imaging education, ranging from just a few days to a maximum of 10 months.
When unqualified providers perform imaging procedures, it can lead to unnecessary radiation exposure, posing potential health risks. Additionally, it increases the likelihood of misdiagnosis or missed diagnoses.
When should you see a radiologist?
Radiologists play a very important role in diagnosing and treating various medical conditions. Your doctor may consult a radiologist when imaging or specialized treatments are required.
Here are some common scenarios where you might need a radiologist:
- Muscle or bone issues: Diagnosing problems like torn muscles or broken bones.
- Pregnancy imaging: Assessing potential complications with your unborn baby.
- Cancer care: Assisting with the screening, diagnosing, or treating cancers such as lung or breast cancer.
- Blood vessel problems: Identifying blocked arteries or other vascular conditions, like atherosclerosis.
- Foreign objects in the body: Locating items like swallowed bones or debris from accidents (e.g., glass, wood, or thorns).
- Liver or kidney concerns: Evaluating organ function or diagnosing conditions.
- Back pain: Determining the underlying cause of discomfort.
- Trauma or accidents: Imaging to assess injuries.
- Uterine fibroids: Helping diagnose and guide treatment.
- Infections: Identifying conditions like pneumonia.
Radiologists provide critical expertise to ensure accurate diagnoses and effective treatments.
Some standard procedures an interventional radiologist performs
Apart from medication, specific procedures are essential for effective treatment. If you are seeking the expertise of a specialist in interventional radiology near you, these are some of the procedures you can expect:
- Image-guided biopsies are crucial in investigating lesions or masses in various body parts, focusing on the lymph nodes, lungs, kidneys, and liver. These minimally invasive procedures typically require only light sedation, enabling completion within 30 minutes to an hour.
- Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are effective solutions for promptly alleviating back pain from acutely fractured bones in the vertebral column. Interventional radiologists skillfully set the bones back by employing a special cement. The procedure entails the insertion of a small needle through the skin and back muscles, guided by real-time fluoroscopic X-ray imaging. The physician diligently monitors the cement injection through continuous X-ray imaging to ensure precise placement.
- Nephrostomy placement—in cases where a blockage hinders kidney function in the ureters, interventional radiologists perform nephrostomy placement to relieve urine buildup and prevent complications like kidney swelling (hydronephrosis). This crucial intervention is conducted at the behest of the patient's urologist, ensuring the restoration of normal urine flow and safeguarding kidney health.
- Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) offers a highly effective treatment for fibroid tumors in the uterus. These benign growths, known as myomas, often lead to heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and discomfort due to pressure on surrounding organs. Utilizing techniques similar to heart catheterization, interventional radiologists place a tiny catheter into each uterine artery, introducing small particles to block the arterial branches supplying blood to the fibroids. Consequently, the fibroid tissue shrinks, and symptoms are significantly alleviated. Uterine fibroid embolization provides a far less invasive alternative to open surgery for fibroid removal.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - When a blood clot develops in the deep veins of the arms, legs, or other body parts, the condition is known as deep vein thrombosis. Neglecting this condition may lead to a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE), where the clot dislodges and travels to the lungs, causing circulation blockage. While blood thinning medication often suffices for treatment, there are instances where physicians opt for alternative approaches. In such cases, interventional radiologists step in to perform a procedure involving the insertion of a small filter, known as an IVC filter, into the inferior vena cava. This filter allows blood to flow while effectively capturing the clot before it reaches the lungs, mitigating the risk of a pulmonary embolism.
How to prepare for the radiologist visit?
You may make the most of your time with the radiologist by being well-prepared. You should list all your current medications, including over-the-counter ones. Additionally, gather and take copies of previous imaging tests and X-rays. Wear loose-fitting clothes and shoes. Also, avoid wearing body piercings, jewelry, or other valuables.
Each procedure at the radiologist visit necessitates a different level of preparation. You should drink 64 ounces of water within 12 hours of your CT scan. You shouldn't take any medication and avoid eating or drinking before the nuclear medicine or positron emission tomography (PET) scan. You must not eat or drink anything after midnight on the same day of your fluoroscopic exam. Also, contact your radiologist to learn more about preparing for the scan.
Most importantly, it will help if you aim to be fifteen minutes early from the scheduled appointment time.
What can you expect during a visit to a radiologist near you?
Depending on your procedure, your radiologist appointment could last up to two hours or only a few minutes. The possible imaging options include X-ray, CT scan, ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or PET scan.
You must lie down or stand and position yourself for an X-ray. During a CT scan, your radiologist will instruct you to remain still while lying on a padded table. This table slides into a short, open-ended tunnel. They will use it to check for internal bleeding, complicated bone fracture, tumor size, and infections, among other reasons. Some CT scans may require a contrasting substance to improve image clarity.
If you are pregnant, your radiologist may perform your ultrasound. This procedure uses sound waves to help pinpoint swelling, heart damage, tumors, infection, etc.
Your radiologist uses magnetic fields or radio waves instead of radiation for MRI scans. They will see soft tissue inside or behind your bones. They use a tiny amount of radioactive material to examine the inside of your body at the level of molecules during a PET scan.
After interpreting your imaging data, the radiologist will deliver the findings in a thorough report. Based on the results, they may recommend a treatment plan.
What is the difference between a radiologist and a radiographer?
A radiologist and a radiographer are medical professionals who use imaging technology, such as X-ray, to diagnose and treat a patient's medical condition. However, they are different from one another.
Radiology is a medicine branch that utilizes radiant energy, such as radioactive material or X-rays, to diagnose and treat diseases. On the other hand, radiography is the art, act, or process of creating radiographs, which are essentially X-rays or gamma-ray photographs. The main difference between radiographers and radiologists is their job responsibilities and education.
Radiologists are licensed medical doctors who specialize in radiology. They are responsible for providing diagnostic imaging support and interpreting imaging results. Radiologists may further specialize in nuclear medicine, pediatric radiology, or cardiac imaging. On a typical day, they prepare for imaging procedures, consult with other doctors, interpret imaging results, and make informed diagnoses.
Radiographers, conversely, are medical professionals who operate specialized scanning machines such as X-ray machines, computed tomography (CT) scanners, and digital fluoroscopy equipment. They are responsible for adequately preparing patients, verifying safety protocols, operating a wide range of imaging devices, and producing quality X-rays and images to help ensure accurate diagnoses. Radiographers work under the supervision of a radiologist.
Radiologists are licensed medical doctors who undergo a longer education process to fulfill the requirements of their position. They complete a four-year undergraduate degree, a four-year medical school program, and a hospital residency in radiology.
On the other hand, professional radiographers must complete a radiological education program accredited by the Joint Review Commission on Education in Radiologic Technology. These programs include two-year associate and four-year bachelor's degree programs. During their education, they are prepared to take the National Certification Examination.
An accredited program will teach students essential medical imaging skills and provide professional experience through clinical rotations. Like radiologists, radiographers can specialize in specific procedures, such as ultrasounds or mammograms.
How to find the best radiologist near you in Brooklyn, NY?
Radiologists play an essential role in disease management. They save lives by utilizing various tools and techniques for early detection and treatment. However, finding the best radiologist in your area can take time, delaying your visit. Zocdoc aims to match patients with the best provider possible.
You can enter your condition, location, date, and insurance plan and click the find button. A list of all the providers will appear based on your search criteria. It is also possible to search for providers based on their specialty, availability, gender, reason for visit, hospital affiliation, language spoken by them, and whether or not they treat children.
Our online patient support center can help you find radiologists who accept your insurance. On Zocdoc, you can link your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account; however, you can use only one plan per appointment.
You can add your secondary insurance details in the appointment notes if you have multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your healthcare provider uses Zocdoc’s Intake forms, you can directly input your secondary insurance information through the form.
Every provider on Zocdoc has a profile that includes their education and training, professional membership, experience, certifications, practice locations, and licenses, among other details. Zocdoc also updates reviews and ratings on providers' profiles. Checking the ratings can help you find the top-rated radiologist near you in Brooklyn. Zocdoc allows you to schedule both in-person and video appointments.
Booking appointments on Zocdoc is easy, free, and safe.
Radiologists and radiologic health statistics in Brooklyn, New York
According to the data collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2023, New York had the fourth-highest employment of radiologists. There were about 1,890 radiologists legally practicing in the state.
Radiologists can screen for cancers, Parkinson's, accidents, and heart disease.
The Snapshot of Cancer in New York by the New York State Department of Health shows that over 118,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed with cancer yearly. Nearly 34,000 die from it, making it the state's second leading cause of death. In 2019, there were roughly 118,803 cancer cases and approximately 33,651 deaths. Hence, early diagnosis can prevent one in every four cancer cases that lead to death.
In 2021, there were about 1717 (around 6.7%) deaths from Parkinson's disease in New York, according to the National Center for Health Statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrated that in 2017, approximately 44,092 died from heart disease in New York. The same report stated that about 7,687 New York people died from accidents and around 34,956 from cancer during the same year.
Sources
Ontario Association of Radiologists
American College of Radiology
Verywell Health
Mayo Clinic
Radiological Society of North America
Medical University of the Americas
Association of American Medical Colleges[1]
Association of American Medical Colleges[2]
Association of American Medical Colleges[3]
Association of American Medical Colleges[4]
Association of American Medical Colleges[5]
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Mount Sinai
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
New York State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[2]
Penn Medicine
Aultman College
