Do you know what a Radiologist does?

Throughout our lives we may visit a Radiologist, but do we really know its role in medicine? Do we know about their work?

Radiology, also known as imaging, is a critical branch of medicine that consists of performing a series of different tests taking images of the human body to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries.

Radiology can be divided into two areas:

Diagnostic Radiology
Interventional Radiology

Radiology is of great help in specialties such as Cardiology, Pneumology, Oncology, Neurosurgery, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Advanced General Surgery, Gynecology, and Obstetrics, Vascular Surgery, Emergency Medicine, among others.

What does a Radiologist do?

The Radiologist is a Doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury, using medical imaging techniques such as X-Ray, CT Scan, MRI, Ultrasound, among others. Depending on the location, the Radiologist interprets the images and develops a diagnostic report of the findings.

Since some of these imaging techniques include radiation, proper training, and knowledge of safety and security practices in the radiology area is important.

Being a Radiologist means that, the person has graduated from an accredited medical school and has completed a residency of several years of unique graduate medical studies or specialization in subjects such as:

Radiation safety/protection
Effects of radiation on the human body
Creation and proper interpretation of quality medical and radiological examinations

Most Radiologists have also completed a fellowship training that consists of one or two additional years of specialized training in a particular subspecialty of breast imaging radiology, cardiovascular radiology, or nuclear medicine.

Some of the most common reasons patients visit a Radiologist are:

Tumor or cancer detection
Accidents and traumas
Pregnancy
Broken bones
Torn muscle
Blocked arteries or vessels
Foreign objects on the body

Time for the Radiologist's visit:

What you can expect on your next visit to the Radiologist depends a lot on the procedure you're having done. The length of the appointment can be from a couple of minutes to two hours or more.

There are some special tests of Ultrasound, CT Scan or MRI in which these may require that certain foods, medicines, and drinks be avoided or intentionally ingested; however, preparation for an appointment with the Radiologist is not usually necessary. When making your appointment be sure to confirm whether or not there is a special preparation.

Your Radiologist Plays a Key Role in Your Healthcare:

The Radiologist acts as an expert consultant to the Doctor who sent you to the radiology department or clinic for testing), helping to choose the right test, interpreting the resulting medical images, and using the test results to plan the needed care
Treats diseases using radiation (Radiation Oncology) or minimally invasive image-guided interventions (Interventional Radiology)
Connects medical imaging findings with other exams and tests
Recommends further testing or appropriate treatment when necessary
Directs Radiology Technicians (staff who operate the sophisticated equipment) during the examinations

Your Radiologist has the right training, knowledge, and experience:

Radiologists are at the forefront of image processing technology, promoting the development and implementation of modalities known to them, the interlinking of images, and minimally invasive procedures such as endovascular treatment of aneurysms and tumors, percutaneous biopsies, and radiation therapy.

Radiologists are generally board-certified by councils, federations, associations, or other agencies depending on the location where you are, indicating a high level of training and proven excellence in the area of expertise.

If you need X-Rays, CT-Scan, Ultrasound or MRI in Los Cabos, please contact us.

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