ABSTRACT

Those following the profession of radiographer mainly work in the healthcare

sector, with image production in medical imaging or with radiotherapy
treatments. Radiographers are responsible for patient care and handling
technology in this professional field. Radiographers’ practice is interesting to
study in relation to technical developments and changing conditions for
performing professional work.
The general aim of this thesis was to find out the roles of a medical radiography
in modern medicine.
Radiographers’ professional work with image production was seen as a process
comprising three phases: planning the examination, producing the images, and
evaluating the images. During this process, radiographers make judgments to
ensure patient safety and adapt the technology in use to the individual patient.
When conventional imaging techniques are converted into examinations
performed by Computer Tomography, the planning phase of radiographers’
work process becomes more important. Technology improvements also mean
that the technical aspects of radiographers’ work with image production are
easier to foresee in scheduling examinations.
INTRODUCTION

Radiography is the art and science of using radiation to provide images of the

tissues, organs, bones, and vessels that comprise the human body. Radiologists,

physicians who have had special training in interpreting diagnostic images, read

or diagnose these images. Treatment of a patient depends on the accurate and

precise production of radiographic images.

X-rays were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen on November 8, 1895.

Since the initial discovery, technology has evolved rapidly. Radiography

includes diagnostic radiography as well as additional imaging modalities such

as mammography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI), PET-CT, PET-MRI, cardiac-interventional radiography, vascular-

interventional radiography, quality management (QM), bone densitometry,

nuclear medicine (NM), radiation therapy, and sonography. Radiography has

been an indispensable diagnostic tool of modern medicine. Broken bones can be

aligned, ulcers can be detected, and many other injuries and conditions can be

treated when the exact nature is known to the physician.

Radiographers, also known as radiologic technologists, diagnostic radiographers

and medical radiation technologists are healthcare professionals who specialise

in the imaging of human anatomy for the diagnosis and treatment of pathology.

Radiographers are infrequently, and almost always erroneously, known as x-ray

technicians. In countries that use the title radiologic technologist they are often
informally referred to as techs in the clinical environment; this phrase has

emerged in popular culture such as television programmes. The term

radiographer can also refer to a therapeutic radiographer, also known as a

radiation therapist.

Radiographers work in both public healthcare and private healthcare and can be

physically located in any setting where appropriate diagnostic equipment is

located, most frequently in hospitals. The practice varies from country to

country and can even vary between hospitals in the same country.

Radiographers are represented by a variety of organizations worldwide,

including the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological

Technologists which aims to give direction to the profession as a whole through

collaboration with national representative bodies

A medical radiographer is a person professionally trained and qualified to apply

forms of radiant energies and waveforms in order to promote health, treat

diseases, and generate images of diagnostic value 2. He/she is a trained medical

professional who diagnoses and treats using various imaging modalities. In

Medical Radiography and Imaging, imaging modalities refer to the different

radiographic equipment used in the diagnosis of patients that produce ionizing

or non-ionizing radiation. These include the Conventional X-ray units,

Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound

imaging, Nuclear Medicine, Radionuclide imaging, Positron Emission

Tomography (PET), fluoroscopic and angiographic units, radiotherapy

equipment, and a host of others. Moreover, in order to adequately appreciate the

roles of radiographers in patient care and administration of medical assistance,

those roles have been dichotomized into the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.

This is because there are broadly two classes of medical radiographers-

Diagnostic and Therapeutic.

The Role of a Radiographer

The radiographer is responsible for producing many of the diagnostic images of

the patient that radiologists use to diagnose patient conditions. The body part of

the patient must be accurately positioned, and only the amount of radiation

necessary to produce a quality diagnostic image must be applied. Two important

aspects of the responsibilities of the radiographer should be noted. The first

includes the appropriate use of technology, and the second involves caring for

the needs of patients in the health care environment. Exams and procedures are

performed on patients of all ages, including pediatric and geriatric patients. The

radiographer works in many areas outside of the radiology department,

including surgery, the emergency room, cardiac care, intensive care, and patient

rooms. The radiologic technologist contributes a special talent to assist in the

diagnosis of injury and disease.

List of the roles of medical radiographers in healthcare:

Diagnostic Roles of Medical Radiography

A diagnostic radiographer is one who uses various imaging modalities like

conventional Xray units, CT, MRI, Ultrasound imaging, fluoroscopic and

angiographic units et cetera to produce high-quality images relevant to

diagnosis. A radiographer produces quality diagnostic images and radiographs

to enable proper diagnosis of diseases and injuries to be made. This is one of the

key roles of a radiographer. For instance, a patient with a fracture is sent for an

X-ray examination. After the examination, For instance, a patient with a fracture

is sent for an X-ray examination. a radiograph is generated which contains

details indispensable to the management of the condition of the patient.

The radiographs provide such information as the actual point of fracture, the

nature of the fracture-whether open or close, the type of fracture as well as the

relationship between the fractured part and the surrounding soft tissues or

organs. The doctor may suspect a fracture based on the remote clinical signs but

the image produced by a radiographer either confirms or refutes the suspicion.

Images are also produced when a patient complains of tightness of the chest or

difficulty in breathing as the case may be. The patient goes to the X-ray

department where a chest X-ray is carried out and an image produced to

facilitate the diagnosis of the actual clinical problem.  This process of producing

images is always the case with other relevant clinical indications and requests.
Clinical Roles  

Radiographers provide a very important clinical link between the physicians and

the patient by assisting in the management of patient conditions. The

radiographer advises the doctor on the best possible step to take. For instance,

an additional projection is necessary for the conspicuous demonstration of a

disease entity or that a supplementary examination needs to be carried out in

order to validate a particular finding. It is unequivocal to say that a radiographer

provides a compass necessary for the clinician to navigate a patient’s health

condition in order to make a proper diagnosis and prognosis.  One interesting

thing about the healthcare system is the existence of team spirit and

cooperation. Each must understand and appreciate the limitations of the

function of one, and then allow the other to bridge the gap.

Mediation Roles of Medical Radiographers

Also, just like in the diagnostic setting, the therapeutic radiographer provides a

vital nexus between the managing clinicians and the patient. For instance, in a

patient who presents with ovarian cancer, the radiographer plays a mediatory

role in the management of the condition. This is because he monitors the

progression of cancer, suggests methods of improving the possibilities of killing

the cancers while sparing normal tissues, provides vital follow-up images, and

so on. This smoothens and potentiates the work of the clinician or oncologist

who now takes the final but important decisions while taking into cognizance
the available information provided by the radiographer. This decision ultimately

affects the quality of care and attention given to the patient.

Psychosocial Roles of Medical Radiography

Moreover, one of the ways of promoting patient wellbeing and assuaging pains

is through giving psychological and physical support where necessary. From

what is learned and experienced, one of the ways of achieving speedy treatment

of the physical injuries and pains of patients is by recognizing and

understanding the psychological needs at that point.   A radiographer

understands that fact perfectly and applies that not only to attract the

cooperation of the patient during some sensitive radiographic investigations like

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) Intravenous urography (IVU), obstetric scans,

etc, as well as in special patients like patients in stretchers and wheelchairs,

those on life support apparatuses; but also to lighten the condition of the patient

even when the condition is extremely distressful and horrible

Role in healthcare

A radiographer uses their expertise and knowledge of patient care, physics,

human anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiology to assess patients,

develop optimum radiological techniques and evaluate the resulting

radiographic media.
This branch of healthcare is extremely varied, especially between different

countries, and as a result radiographers in one country often have a completely

different role to that of radiographers in another. However, the base

responsibilities of the radiographer are summarised below:

 Autonomy as a professional

 Accountability as a professional

 Contribute to and participate in continuing professional development

 Enforcement of radiation protection (There is a duty of care to patients,

colleagues and any lay persons that may be irradiated.)

 Justification of radiographic examinations

 Patient care

 Production of diagnostic media

 Safe, efficient and correct use of diagnostic equipment

 Supervise students and assistants

On a basic level, radiographers do not generally interpret diagnostic media,

rather they evaluate media and make a decision about its diagnostic

effectiveness. In order to make this evaluation radiographers must have a

comprehensive but not necessarily exhaustive knowledge of pathology and

radiographic appearances; it is for this reason that radiographers often do not

interpret or diagnose without further training. Notwithstanding, it is now

becoming more common that radiographers have an extended and expanded

clinical role, this includes a role in initial radiological diagnosis, diagnosis

consultation and what subsequent investigations to conduct. It is not uncommon

for radiographers to now conduct procedures which would have previously been

undertaken by a cardiologist, urologist, radiologist or oncologist autonomously.

Contrary to what could be inferred, radiographers conduct and contribute to

investigations which are not necessarily radiological in nature, e.g. sonography

and magnetic resonance imaging.

Radiographers often have opportunities to enter military service due to their role

in healthcare. As with most other occupations in the medical field many

radiographers have rotating shifts that include night duties.

Career pathways

Radiography is a deeply diverse profession with many different modalities and

specialities. It is not uncommon for radiographers to be specialised in more than

one modality and even have expertise of interventional procedures themselves;

however this depends on the country in which they operate. As a result of this

the typical career pathway for a radiographer is hard to summarise. Upon

qualifying it is common for radiographers to focus solely on plain film

radiography before specialising in any one chosen modality. After a number of

years in the profession, non-imaging based roles often become open and

radiographers may then move into these positions.

Conclusion:

Having explored the roles of radiographers in the administration of patient care

and quality medical assistance, although these roles are inexhaustible; it is now

very crystal clear to the readers that this group of professionals is indispensable

in the health care system. The doctors and other healthcare givers should

understand and appreciate this fact. Since the well-being of the patient forms the

fulcrum of our professional services, it is only great that each respects and

supports one another. Radiographers have given the world easy access to the

happenings in the ‘internal environment ‘using their trained eyes to point out

even the smallest of clinical details. With their skills and expertise, diagnosis of

hitherto difficult conditions has become less difficult and accessible through the

production of images of diagnostic cum therapeutic relevance.

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