Health
For High-Tech Health Care, See a Radiologist
By
Jun 1, 2008, 16:52

(NewsUSA) - Think about your last X-ray, MRI or mammogram. A technician likely performed the procedure, and your doctor told you the results, then laid out the treatment plan.

But another physician consulted with you doctor on which scan you should receive, supervised the study, interpreted your results and shared those results with your doctor, along with his or her recommendations for treatment.

This physician, who works behind the scenes, is your radiologist.

Radiologists are medical doctors. They undergo more than 13 years of training in medical imaging techniques and radiation safety.

Radiologists administer and interpret images, like CT scans, sonograms and ultrasounds. They work with primary care physicians and other specialists to meet their patients' needs. Today, more than 33,000 radiologists practice in the U.S.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) -; the nation's oldest and most widely recognized accrediting body for medical imaging facilities -; publishes materials that help physicians determine the best imaging exams for more than 200 medical situations, ranging from sprained wrists to cancerous brain tumors.

Imaging studies now replace many more invasive, more costly techniques. Patients can receive imaging procedures in hospitals, doctors' offices or radiology centers.

When you choose an ACR-accredited location, you ensure that the doctors who supervise and interpret your imaging exam meet strict education and training standards.

To get ACR accreditation, a facility must allow qualified medical physicists to regularly inspect its imaging equipment. The technologists operating the machines must be certified.

"Medical imaging is serving an increasingly important role in the health care of Americans." says Dr. Arl Van Moore Jr., FACR, chair of ACR. "It's important for patients to make sure that the facility where they get their scans is committed to quality care."

The best way to ensure quality care? Patients should "ask for a radiologist to supervise their exam and interpret the results, and choose a site that is ACR-accredited," Moore explains.

For more information about imaging procedures and how a radiologist can meet your health care needs, visit www.MyRadiologist.com.

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