The term "technician" is reserved for vocational workers who fix medical equipments and is
not related with the allied medical professionals known as "Radiologic Technologists".
Radiologic technologists employ a wide range of sophisticated equipment to produce medical images with the least amount of radiation to the patient, so that doctors and other medical professionals may better diagnose and treat injury or disease. Radiologic Technologists use their expertise and knowledge of physics, anatomy, physiology and pathology to assess the patient, develop optimal radiographic technique and evaluate resulting radiographic images to determine if additional procedures are warranted. They care for the patient even when acutely ill or traumatised. Radiologic technicians need good stamina because they work on their feet for long periods of time and may have to lift heavy and disabled patients.
The practice of radiologic technology includes the following modalities (or specialties):
- Diagnostic radiography - deals with examination of internal organs, bones, cavities and foreign objects; includes cardiovascular imaging and interventional radiography.
- Sonography - uses high frequency ultrasound and is increasingly used due to its economy, safety, and versatility in obstetrics (including fetal monitoring throughout pregnancy), necology, abdominal, pediatrics, cardiac, vascular and musculo-skeletal regions.
- Fluoroscopy - live motion radiography (constant radiation) usually used to visualize the digestive system; monitor the administration of contrast agents to highlight vessels and organs or to help position devices within the body (such as pacemakers, guidewires, stents etc.)
- CT (computed tomography) - which provides cross-sectional views (slices) of the body; can also reconstruct additional images from those taken to provide more information in either 2 or 3D.
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) - builds a 2-D or 3-D map of different tissue types within the body;
- Nuclear medicine - this uses radioactive tracers which can be administered to examine how the body and organs function, for example the kidneys or heart. Certain radioisotopes can also be administered to treat certain cancers such as thyroid cancer.
- Radiotherapy - uses radiation to shrink, and sometimes eradicate, cancerous cells/growths in and on the body.
- Mammography - use low dose x-ray systems to produce images of the breast.