History:
When Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen discovered X-rays on November 8, 1895,
he surely would have thought about the invincible benefits of X-rays
for the medical field. The discovery of X-rays indeed became a grand
success in 1896 when Hall-Edwards from England became the first
person to use X-rays in a surgical operation. Edwards used X-rays to
find out the needle that got stuck in the hand of his associate.
Since that period, X-ray technology has been evolving rapidly.
What is Radiography?
The process of producing images on a film by using radiation such
as X-rays is called Radiography. It is that process by which
images of soft tissues, bones and various organs are produced to
diagnose a trauma or disease. Based on X-ray reports, the physician
decides necessary procedure to cure a disease or ailment. Radiography
is an essential segment of the medical science which is growing at a
fast pace. Due to this growth, radiographers are in great demand
these days.
What does a Radiographer do?
A radiographer is a health professional who is responsible for
producing quick and accurate diagnostic images that assist
Radiologists to diagnose the illness or injury of the patient. With
the help of ionized radiation such as X-rays, radiographers produce
diagnostic images that play a crucial role in deciding upon the
medical protocols for the patient’s ailment. Radiographers are
required to perform X-ray examinations on patients under defined
clinical setups.
What are the different types of a Radiographer?
There are two types of radiographers - diagnostic and
therapeutic. Diagnostic radiographers generally work within
the radiology department of hospitals and are responsible to produce
high quality images of a disease or an injury. They use a wide range
of techniques to determine the cause of an ailment such as: X-ray,
Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CT
(Computed Tomography), Angiography and Nuclear Medicine.
On the other hand, therapeutic radiographers work closely
with doctors and other members of oncology department to treat
patients suffering from cancer. They are most widely known as
radiotherapy radiographers. They play an important role in treatment
of the cancer patients, as they are the only health professionals who
plan and execute precise radiotherapy. At the time of treatment of a
tumour, the accuracy of therapeutic radiographers is very crucial to
destroy the affected tissue, whilst minimising the exposure of
radiations to adjacent healthy tissues. Therapeutic radiographers
use advanced techniques such as Adaptive Radiotherapy, Intensity
Modulated Radiotherapy and Image Guided Radiotherapy for treatments
and ensure the treatment is provided under highly qualified and
skilled guidance.
Reasons to choose radiography as a career:
Radiography is an integral part of the treatment process and both
diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers are significant to it. They
both play a vital role in diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases
like cancer. Without detailed images, a radiologist would not be able
to diagnose the root cause of an ailment, which is possible only
through diagnostic radiotherapy. And without a highly qualified
radiotherapy radiographer, providing therapy treatments to cancer
patients would become difficult. Therefore, both types of
radiographers are of utmost importance to the modern medicine.
