The specialty of Radiodiagnóstico (more popularly and internationally known as Radiology), born in 1895 after Roentgen’s discovery of the X-rays, is one of the youngest medical specialties and, nevertheless, enjoys a decisive presence and influence in modern medicine. According to the WHO, 80% of medical decisions in the developed world are taken with the support of radiological tests. The radiologist is a clinician who uses the medical image (not only X-rays but also MRI or ultrasound) to help diagnose and treat the patient.
With a vertiginous technological development in the last 25 years (ultrasound, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance, molecular imaging), Radiology has reinvented itself several times. The current radiologist is not only a technician who interprets images, but also a clinician, a consultant radiologist who performs not only diagnosis, but also minimally invasive intervention guided by image.
And something very important for the one that is considering choosing a specialty: radiology is a pleasant specialty, always fascinating and that allows a very varied activity. Burned doctor syndrome is exceptional among radiologists. On the other hand, radiology is the specialty most demanded by doctors who seek a new specialty after not being satisfied with the one they chose initially.
What are the subspecialties of radiology?
The areas in which Radiology is divided are:
Neuroradiology. It includes, in addition to the nervous system, head and neck and neuroradiological interventionism, with highly complex therapeutic procedures.
Abdominal radiology. It includes digestive and genitourinary. It is the part of Radiology with the highest volume of scans. It uses very advanced techniques.
Radiology of the breast. Authentic pillar of breast cancer management. It includes all the explorations and procedures guided by breast image.
Musculoskeletal radiology. It has experienced great growth. It includes a great variation of imaging techniques (radiography, ultrasound, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance).
Pediatric radiology. With a strong emphasis on the use of techniques that do not involve the use of ionizing radiation. The management of pediatric patients is not conceived without the intervention of the pediatric radiologist.
Thoracic radiology. Highly specialized Basis of management of thoracic diseases.
Vascular and interventional radiology. In it, the radiologist performs minimally invasive surgical procedures that include the treatment of vascular lesions, tumors, etc.
What is the job of a radiologist?
One of the most rewarding aspects of Radiology is its impact on patient care. The key to the treatment of diseases, and possibly the most complex process, is the realization of an exact diagnosis, without which, the treatment is never adequate. In the vast majority of medical specialties, radiological examinations are the basis for the diagnosis of diseases. The radiologist informs the doctor that treats the patient about the disease that has or its extension, or emits a differential diagnosis and recommends new explorations to refine it.
Radiology often requires the use of several imaging techniques, jointly or sequentially, and the selection of these techniques is the responsibility of the radiologist. In modern medicine, doctors depend on the radiologist for more than 80% of the decisions they make. The existence of well-trained radiologists is absolutely essential for any health organization to offer adequate care to their patients, and that is something that all medical professionals are well aware of.
Radiologists are key to assess the extent of a disease. This is particularly important in malignant tumors because the degree of extension usually determines the treatment. But radiology is also essential in other specialties. For example, to advise surgeons on the appropriate technique to use in surgical procedures, or to evaluate the response to different types of treatment and its result.
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