Radiology

Radiology is a medical specialty that uses imaging technologies to visualize the interior of the body for diagnosis, monitoring, and guidance of treatment decisions. It encompasses a range of techniques and services to assess organs, bones, and soft tissues, and to support image-guided procedures.

Common modalities include X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine techniques such as scintigraphy and positron emission tomography (PET). Hybrid imaging combines modalities, for example PET/CT or SPECT/CT. These methods are applied across many domains, including trauma and musculoskeletal injury, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological disorders.

Interventional radiology is a key component of radiology, using imaging to perform minimally invasive procedures such as biopsies, vascular interventions, tumor ablations, and drainage. Radiologists interpret the images and, in many settings, supervise technologists who acquire the scans. Safety considerations emphasize minimizing radiation exposure (the ALARA principle), shielding, and dose tracking. Contrast agents used in imaging can carry risks of allergic reactions or kidney effects, and appropriate precautions are taken to mitigate these.

Training pathways include medical education followed by residency in radiology for physicians, with additional fellowships for interventional radiology. Radiologic technologists and sonographers receive specialized training to acquire high-quality images, while ongoing quality assurance and continuing education maintain standards.

Historically, X-rays were discovered in 1895, followed by advances in ultrasound, CT in the 1970s, and MRI in the same era. Today, radiology is integral to modern medicine, enabling rapid diagnosis, disease characterization, and image-guided therapies, with many readings supported by digital and, in some regions, teleradiology systems.