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They typically make use of imaging equipment such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT) in order to take these images and these are important in helping doctors diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases and other medical conditions.
Radiographers can find employment in hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, mobile imaging facilities, diagnostic laboratories, and outpatient care centers. This career is an excellent choice is you are looking to pursue a medical career that only takes a short time to complete training. X-ray technicians often work with x-ray imaging equipment, and it is their responsibility to guide patients throughout the imaging process.
They explain to the patients how the imaging will be done, guiding the patients into the proper position and making sure that any foreign object does not interfere with the imaging process. Since working with x-ray equipment involves some exposure to radiation, x-ray techs ensure the safety of patients by covering vulnerable areas with radiation-proof equipment and managing radiation levels emanating from the x-ray machine. They also ensure their own safety by adhering to standard procedures and precisely following the doctors instructions. Taking images of the body isnt as simple as taking a snapshot of a specific body part it involves positioning the x-ray equipment at the height and angle that is properly and precisely aligned with the area to be scanned.
The process of taking x-ray images is comparable to the methods of photography in the sense that you need to manually control each elements of exposure in order to come up with a good image.
There are controls in x-ray imaging that must be fine-tuned to specific situations, and using the wrong settings can easily result to an overexposed or underexposed image, which is practically useless for analysis. X-ray technicians are also responsible for maintaining equipment and ensure that these are always in proper working order prior to operation. They may also be assigned office tasks such as maintenance of patient records and preparing work schedules.
Despite possibly having knowledge of the medical condition of a particular patient, an x-ray technician is not authorized to interpret and discuss imaging results with the patients, and this is the reason why they dont entertain questions regarding this matter. In order to start a career as an x-ray technician, enrolling in a formal training program is required, and these are available in many colleges, universities, and some hospitals as well. The programs you choose must also be accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).
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Source: (xray technician) http://www.radiologycert.com/xray-technician.html