A radiologist is a specialist medical doctor who has trained to interpret medical images (X-ray, CT, ultrasound, MRI) and perform image-guided procedures. In Australia they qualify through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), becoming a Fellow (FRANZCR) after at least five years of specialist training. They're different from the radiographers and sonographers who perform the scans.
Key takeaways
- A radiologist is a specialist doctor who interprets scans and does image-guided procedures.
- In Australia they train through RANZCR and become a Fellow (FRANZCR).
- Radiographers and sonographers perform the scans; the radiologist reports them.
- Your written report goes to your referring doctor, who discusses the results with you.
A radiologist is a specialist medical doctor who has done extra training to interpret medical images and to perform image-guided procedures. When you have a scan, it’s the radiologist who examines the pictures in detail and writes the report that goes back to your referring doctor.[1] You may never meet them, but they’re a critical part of your care team.
How a radiologist is trained
In Australia and New Zealand, a radiologist first completes a medical degree and general medical training, then undertakes at least five years of specialist training accredited by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), including rigorous exams.[2] On completing it, they become a Fellow of RANZCR — “FRANZCR” — the credential you’ll often see after a radiologist’s name.[1] Like all doctors in Australia, they’re registered with the national regulator.
Some doctors sub-specialise further — for example in nuclear medicine, or in a particular body area — and interventional radiologists focus on minimally invasive, image-guided treatments.[1]
Radiologist vs radiographer vs sonographer
These roles are often confused, but they’re different:[1]
- Radiologist — a specialist doctor who interprets the images and reports them.
- Radiographer (medical imaging technologist) — a university-trained health professional who performs X-ray and CT scans.
- Sonographer — a health professional who performs ultrasound scans.
- Nuclear medicine technologist — performs nuclear medicine studies.
So at a typical appointment, a radiographer or sonographer takes the images, and a radiologist interprets them.
Why you don’t get results on the day
The radiographer or sonographer who performs your scan can’t give you results — interpreting the images is the radiologist’s role, and the report goes to your referring doctor.[1] That’s why you discuss the results with the doctor who sent you, who can explain what they mean for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is a radiologist a doctor?
Yes — a radiologist is a fully qualified specialist medical doctor who has done additional training (in Australia, through RANZCR) to interpret scans and perform image-guided procedures.[2]
Why didn’t the person doing my scan tell me the results?
Because that’s not their role. Radiographers and sonographers perform the scan; a radiologist interprets it and sends a report to your referring doctor, who discusses it with you.[1]
What does the “FRANZCR” after a radiologist’s name mean?
Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists — the qualification earned after completing the College’s specialist radiology training.[2]
Sources
- RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA & ACR) — What does a radiologist do? — www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/article-your-radiologist
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) — www.ranzcr.com/
