Earlier we only had x-ray method of detecting a disease but since last 10-15 years we have other methods like ultrasound, and other imaging methods. Imaging simply means creating an image of the insides of your body and radiology is the use of radiation for different types of “imaging,” including X-rays and radarscopes.
When doctors take the help of radiation for various types of imaging then it is called the science of radiology. Actually there are many other names for it. You can call it radioscopy or clinical radiology. When radiology is used for medical purpose then it is called clinical radiology.
Radiology is used for treating and diagnosing various types of disease or injuries. Radiation therapy is use of radiant energy to destruct tumors by radiation. With the help of radiology, a radiologist can x-ray or do ultrasound or use the method of magnetic assisted resonance imaging to take photographs of the bones of your body or your arteries or the soft tissues parts of your body.
The person who is a specialist in this field is called a radiologist. He has deep knowledge of understanding and ‘reading an image’ or what we tend to call ‘x-ray’ and they can tell us accurately how severe is the injury. It can even ‘see’ the tumors that may be there. They are always correct in their reports. For this very reason, the doctors ask us to get a report done. Only a report of this kind can confirm it. The radiologist reads the report and even discusses with the doctor on the method of treatment that has to be followed. Radiology is so important that those medical clinics that don’t have their own radiology lab have to depend on others for getting it done.
Since the entire treatment of the patient is based on this report we can well understand the importance and responsibility of the radiologist. He must take the image very carefully and also study it carefully. Suppose he is not careful enough then there may be defects in the report and that may subsequently lead to wrong diagnosis and wrong medication. Don’t think that it is an easy job. Suppose the patient is very ill, or he has hurt himself badly or is having severe pain then he will be restless. This makes it very difficult for the radiologist to calm the patient enough so that he may allow the radiologist to do his work properly. The radiologist must be very patient and must know how to tackle difficult patients. He must also explain to the patient the procedure of radiology and also study his medical records carefully; many of us do get intimidated by those big machines.
More detailed info at http://www.radiologicalimaging.info.