Radiology is a branch of medicine that uses imaging technology to diagnose and treat diseases. Radiology can be divided into two areas: diagnostic radiology and interventional radiology. Diagnostic radiology helps healthcare providers see structures inside the body, and doctors who specialize in the interpretation of these images are called diagnostic radiologists. Using diagnostic images, radiologists or other physicians can diagnose the cause of symptoms, monitor how well the body is responding to treatment, and screen for different illnesses such as breast cancer, colon cancer, or heart disease. The most common types of diagnostic radiology exams include computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and mammography.

Interventional radiologists are doctors who use imaging such as CT, ultrasound, MRI, and fluoroscopy to help guide procedures. The imaging is helpful to the doctor when inserting catheters, wires, and other small instruments and tools into the body, which typically allows for smaller incisions. Doctors can use this technology to detect or treat conditions in almost any part of the body.

Radiologists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging procedures such as X-rays, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, PET, and ultrasound. Radiologists complete at least 13 years of training, including medical school, a four-year residency, and most often, an additional one- or two-year fellowship of very specialized training, such as radiation oncology, pediatric radiology, or interventional radiology. They are certified by the American Board of Radiology, and they have exacting requirements for continuing medical education throughout their practicing years. Radiologic technologists also aid in this process, as they use and manage the machines in the course of producing an image.

Radiology is important in every sector within the healthcare field, including surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, oncology, trauma-response, emergency medicine, and infectious disease. Diagnostic radiology uses imaging results to identify a wide range of problems, from broken bones to heart conditions and blood clots. Interventional radiology also uses imaging such as CT scans, MRI, and ultrasounds to guide medical procedures. Radiologists are at the forefront of imaging technology, pioneering the use of CT, MRI, PET, and fusion imaging as well as minimally invasive procedures such as endovascular tre...