Radiology Is at the Heart

Radiology is at the heart of modern healthcare. Almost everyone goes to the hospital at least once in a lifetime, and regardless of reason, the chances are that they will be acquainted with a radiographer who needs to produce an accurate image of the area of the body in question, which is an indispensable part of issuing a correct diagnosis, or provide therapy by radiation. In fact, 6 out of 10 patients who undergo radiotherapy treatment for some form of cancer are cured (the Society of Radiographers).

A radiographer is a vital part of a medical team, usually involved in every stage of the patient's treatment, starting with pre-treatment preparation, planning, therapeutic delivery of radiation, and follow-up. There are three instances where a radiographer is needed, namely for a stationary radiography taken in their department, for inter-operative imaging in the operation room, or for mobile radiography performed in the immobilized patients' ward (Queensland Health, 2010). Specific duties may vary, but generally include medical imaging, updating patients' charts, and maintenance of radiology laboratory equipment. Producing images may occur by means of X-ray, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound or angiography. Once the images are obtained, a radiographer is responsible for developing the film or processing the digital images, as well as storing them correctly.

However, radiographers don't simply operate imaging devices. They are responsible for answering to every member of the healthcare team's request of radiographs and then decide which method of radiography is the most appropriate for each case. Besides that, they calculate details pertaining to imaging procedures, such as the exact length and intensity of exposure to radiation and other settings of recording equipment. Also, they talk to the patients before the procedure in order to set their minds at rest and explain each step of the process, then position the patient's body accordingly and, of course, make sure that the radiation levels are safe. The ultimate goal here is to capture the best possible image, so that the patient's medical status can be quantified, and the risk of misdiagnosis minimized.

In this sense, didactic educational experience and its clinical counterpart are, to my mind, two surprisingly different venues. Whereas the former offers a necessary, in-depth exploration of theory, it is the practice that validates or refutes theory. What is more, practice models and brings new perspectives into theory, as well. Thus, I tend to perceive the correlation between the two precepts as fundamentally interdependent, because the lack of balanced advancement in radiology could entail serious damage to professional standards.

Radiographers function as part of a team comprised of multidisciplinary health professionals, working closely with nurses, surgical technologists, radiologists and physicians. At the request of a medical doctor, a radiographer receives a case, together with deciding on the patient's best alternative of medical imaging. Once the image is procured, the radiologist sets the diagnostic. In addition, a surgical technologist assists radiographers in conducting inter-operative imaging. Finally, a radiology nurse would help provide patient care during radiological investigations or procedures by using their skills to identify and meet a patient's individual needs.

In my view, a professional medical team member is essentially empathetic. Given that the healthcare sector is the only working space that concerns itself exclusively with human well-being, it is of paramount importance that all medical staff be receptive to each patient's individual needs. Failing that, the risk of malpractice increases and, most notably, serious harm can come to a human being who was there to seek help in the first place. Therefore, acting on the Hippocratic Oath means more than doing your own part of the job right; it means that a proper level of interaction with the patient, his/her family and also with the other staff members is crucial.

Another significant requirement that I personally consider mandatory for medical caretakers at any level is the passion for medical science combined with a genuine wish to help people out of their worst predicaments. Without passion and nurturing instinct, practice of any form of medicine cannot be successfully conducted. A professional is, after all, an expert, and thus ought to be dedicated to his area of expertise together with presenting fine attunement to the medical needs of every patient.