About Radiologists
Radiologists are medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) who specialize in diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as X-Rays, Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Medicine, Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Ultrasound.
Radiologists graduate from accredited medical schools, pass a licensing examination, and then go on to complete a residency of at least four years of unique post-graduate medical education in, among other topics:
- Radiation safety and protection
- Radiation effects on the human body
- Appropriate performance and interpretation of quality radiological and medical imaging examinations
These physicians often complete a fellowship — one to two additional years of specialized training in a particular subspecialty of radiology, such as breast imaging, cardiovascular radiology or nuclear medicine.
Radiologists physicians are usually board certified by the American Board of Radiology (for a doctor of medicine) or the American Osteopathic Board of Radiology (for an osteopathic doctor); an indication of a high level of training, and demonstrated excellence in the field.
Radiological procedures are medically prescribed and should only be conducted by appropriately trained and certified physicians under medically necessary circumstances. Radiologist physicians have four to six years of unique, specific, post–medical school training that includes radiation safety and ensure the optimal performance of radiological procedures and interpretation of medical images.
To Learn More About What Radiologists Do
RadiologyInfo.org tells you how various x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, radiation therapy and other procedures are performed. It also addresses what you may experience and how to prepare for the exams. The website contains over 115 radiologic procedures and is updated frequently with new information. All material on the RadiologyInfo.org website is reviewed and approved by experts in the field of radiology from the ACR and RSNA, as well as other professional radiology organizations
What Does It Mean for a Facility to be Accredited by the American
College of Radiology?
The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of its practice. Image quality and procedure evaluations are conducted by board-certified radiologists and medical physicists who are experts in the field. The program also evaluates personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures and quality assurance programs. All findings are reported to the practice via a comprehensive report that includes recommendations for improvement.
The ACR accredits facilities in: Breast ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammography, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET), stereotactic breast biopsy, ultrasound, and radiation oncology.
When you choose an ACR-accredited facility, you know:
- Your hospital, clinic or health center has voluntarily gone through a rigorous review process to be sure it meets nationally-accepted standards
- The personnel are well qualified, through education and certification, to perform and interpret your medical images and administer your radiation therapy treatments
- The equipment is appropriate for the test or treatment you will receive, and the facility meets or exceeds quality assurance and safety guidelines
Find an American College of Radiology (ACR) Accredited Facility