Radiology and sonography careers both have the same objective--to take images of the human body for diagnostic purposes. The main difference between the two is the radiology machines they use to take the images, which defines the different jobs and purposes of diagnosis between the two areas of imaging.
Function
Radiology is an area of medicine where physicians use images of the human body to diagnose injuries and illnesses. Sonography is a type of radiology that takes images using ultrasound technology. In terms of careers, there are many different types of radiology technician and sonography jobs.
Radiology Physicians
Radiologists, physicians who are board certified in radiology, can either interpret radiologic images from X-rays, magnetic resonance image (MRI)scans and computer tomography (CT) scans or images from ultrasounds.
Different Machines
Radiology technicians use a variety of large machines to take images, including X-ray machines, MRIs, CT scanners, PET (positron emission tomography) scanners and mammogram machines. Sonographers use handheld transducers that emit a beam of ultrasound light, and they physically hold these instruments and manipulate them over the patient's body to obtain the needed images. Breast sonography requires a high-frequency transducer that is used exclusively for studying breast tissue.
Function of Radiology Technicians
Radiology techs are most commonly found in orthopaedics to help diagnose injuries in the skeletal system, such as bone fractures or torn ligaments. Techs who are specialized and can operate more advanced technology, such as CT and PET scanners, can take images of all areas of the body to diagnose a wide range of health issues from blocked arteries to cancer.
Function of Sonographers
The most common sonographers work in obstetrics and gynecology, taking ultrasound images of the female reproductive system and examining fetuses in the womb. Some of these ob/gyn sonographers also work in breast imaging as a support for mammograms in tracking breast conditions and tumors. Ultrasounds can also be used in areas other than the female reproductive system. Abdominal sonographers examine the digestive organs, the kidneys and the male reproductive system, and neurosonographers examine the nervous system, especially the brain, to help diagnose nerve disorders. Neurosonographers are most often used to diagnose these disorders in premature infants.
Tags: take images, reproductive system, body diagnose, diagnose injuries, female reproductive, female reproductive system