Radiology
Radiology is the branch of medicine that involves taking pictures of the body using X-rays, Magnetic Resonance, Ultrasound or Radio-pharmaceuticals. Using these images, a wide range of injuries and diseases can be diagnosed and the treatment followed up.
Interventional radiology is a branch of radiology that involves using medical imaging to diagnose and treat conditions using minimally invasive techniques through the skin such as using small balloons to open up blocked arteries etc.
Who is a Radiologist
A radiologist is a fully qualified medical doctor who then specialises in the field of radiology by doing a specialist course of 5 years. Often radiologists then go on to sub-specialise in branches of radiology by doing a fellowship programme of 1 or 2 years.
A radiologists directs the use of medical imaging to get the best results based on the clinical question asked by the patient's doctor. He or she then reports on the images obtained. These reports help the patient's doctor to arrive at a diagnosis and formulate the best treatment plan. Further imaging will help evaluate the progress of the disease or injury and assess the response to treatment.