The radiographer (medical imaging technologist) is the professional who operates the equipment and takes your scan. The radiologist is a specialist doctor who interprets the images and writes the report for your doctor. So the person performing your scan usually isn't the one who reads it — and generally can't give you results on the day. Sonographers perform ultrasounds.
Key takeaways
- A radiographer operates the equipment and takes your scan.
- A radiologist is a specialist doctor who interprets the images.
- Sonographers perform ultrasound scans.
- The person taking your scan usually can't give you the result.
On a single visit you might meet several professionals, and it’s easy to mix them up. The key distinction is between the person who takes your scan and the one who reads it.
The radiographer (medical imaging technologist)
The radiographer is the professional who operates the equipment and takes your scan — positioning you, running the X-ray, CT or MRI machine, and making sure the images are good quality.[2] They’re highly trained and registered health practitioners, but their role is to acquire the images, not to diagnose from them.
For ultrasound, the equivalent role is the sonographer, who performs the scan.
The radiologist
The radiologist is a specialist doctor who interprets the images and writes the report that goes to the doctor who referred you.[1] Reading scans and making the diagnosis is their role.
Why this matters to you
Because these are different roles, the person who takes your scan usually can’t give you the result on the day — that comes from the radiologist’s report, discussed with your referring doctor.[1] It’s not them being unhelpful; interpreting the images is simply a separate, specialist job.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t the person doing my scan tell me what it shows?
Because taking the scan and interpreting it are different roles. The radiographer or sonographer acquires the images; a radiologist (a specialist doctor) reads them and reports to your doctor.[1]
Is a radiographer a doctor?
Not usually — a radiographer is a registered health practitioner who operates the imaging equipment. A radiologist is the specialist doctor who interprets the images.[2]
Who actually gives me my results?
The doctor who referred you. They receive the radiologist’s written report and discuss what it means for you.[1]
Sources
- RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA & ACR) — What does a radiologist do? — www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/article-your-radiologist
- RANZCR — The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists — www.ranzcr.com/
