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A radiologic technologist (also called a radiographer or x-ray technician) is a person who uses ionizing radiation under the direction of a physician to create medical images of the body to help diagnose and treat illness and injury. They work in hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, nursing homes, and in private industry.
Radiologic technologists are responsible for both use of the machines and patient care. They are the ones who explain the exam to the patient and get him/her ready, and then perform the exam. They place the equipment at the correct distance and angle from the patient to make the appropriate images for the physician. Radiographers also assist physicians in performing sophisticated procedures, such as myelograms, and also assist surgeons in the operating room with either portable x-ray machines or portable fluoroscopic machines known as C-arms. Rad techs must maintain the film developers and chemicals if they work with film rather than digital radiography, although they are not allowed to repair machines themselves.
A radiologic technologist in the U.S. goes to school for at least 2 years through a program accredited by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). They must learn medical terminology, basic radiation physics, and photographic imaging techniques and chemistry (this is slowly changing as more and more radiology centers switch to digital imaging), and then must pass a written test, as well as final exams at the place of their clinical education (hands-on learning in a medical setting). ARRT registration is necessary to operate medical x-ray equipment in the United States except in the cases of dental and veterinary imaging.
Other imaging modalities such as mammography, ultrasound (sonography), nuclear medicine, MRI and CT scanning may be performed by a radiologic technologist, but only one who has further training and/or accredation (the results of a pilot study on using sonography as a primary certification was published by the ARRT in 2005).* Perhaps eventually untrasound and MRI will have their own technologists who do not have to be rad techs first, as there are arguments for this because these modalities don't use ionizing radiation. Average Salary: $24,000 - $36,000
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