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Diagnostic Radiologist - Tasks and specialisations

Kaimātai Tātari Hihi Irirangi

Tasks & duties

Diagnostic radiologists may do some or all of the following:

advise doctors on the best radiographic examination to perform on a patient
explain examination procedures to patients beforehand, and discuss the results with them afterwards
supervise medical radiation technologists when they perform radiographic examinations on patients
perform examinations that medical radiation technologists are not qualified to perform
interpret images from radiographic examinations, which may include MRI, ultrasound and nuclear medicine
review examination with the patient's doctors
perform biopsies (taking tissue for diagnosis) from areas such as breasts, liver, kidneys and lesions
teach other health professionals such as medical students, trainee radiologists, medical radiation technologists and nurses
perform administrative duties.

Interventional radiology is a subspecialty of radiology with an emphasis on using minimally invasive procedures. Interventional radiologists may do some or all of the following:

treat some diseases guided by imaging equipment
insert catheters through the skin to drain abscesses, unblock kidneys, or drain bile from the liver
unblock arteries using techniques such as angioplasty or thrombolytic therapy.

A gloved diagnostic radiologist injects dye into a patient's vein.

Contrast dye being injected into the vein before scanning

Lisa Sweetman looking at x-rays on a light box.

Lisa Sweetman looking at chest x-rays using a lightbox

Specialisations

Diagnostic radiologists may choose to specialise in the following areas:

Cardiovascular Radiologist: Cardiovascular radiologists specialise in heart and blood vessel imaging.
Gastrointestinal Radiologist: Gastrointestinal radiologists specialise in stomach, intestine, and bowel imaging.
Genitourinary Radiologist: Genitourinary radiologists specialise in imaging reproductive organs and urinary tracts.
Mammographer: Mammographers specialise in breast imaging.
Musculoskeletal Radiologist: Musculoskeletal radiologists specialise in imaging muscles and bones.
Neuroradiologist: Neuroradiologists specialise in brain imaging.
Paediatric Radiologist: Paediatric radiologists specialise in imaging for children and babies.
Radiobiologist: Radiobiologists study the effects of radiation on living organisms.