Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that uses images to diagnose disease. In the hospital the radiology department is often one of the first places physicians turn to for diagnosis. Physicians that specialize in radiology are called radiologists. Radiology is divided up into several fields.
• Diagnostic radiology uses imaging to diagnose disease.
• Interventional radiology uses imaging to guide procedures.
• Radiation therapy uses radiation to treat diseases.
The radiology department provides many services in the hospital. Some include the following:
• X-rays, which are used to evaluate bony structures and soft tissue.
• CT scans, which use x-rays and computers to make 3-D images of soft tissues.
• Ultrasounds, which are used to see soft tissue structures in real time, without dangerous radiation.
• MRI scans, which give the best images of soft tissue structures, but patients must stay still for very long periods.