Setting the Record Straight: The Vital Role of Radiologists!

An article from NPR’s Shots discusses the oft unanswered question: What exactly does a radiologist do? At a presentation at the 2012 RSNA annual meeting, it was revealed that only about half of the 300 patients surveyed upon receiving a CT scan knew that radiologists are in fact physicians.

Because radiologists are behind the scenes, reading images of the inside of the human body and giving the results to other doctors who diagnose the patients in person, many are unaware of the role of the radiologist. While there are some exceptions, like interventional radiologists and breast imaging specialists, most patients primarily interact with the techs who take MRI and CT scans.

The study suggests that patients want to know more about the physicians who read and analyze their radiological scans. Watch this video featuring UCSF's Chief of neuroradiology and Executive Vice Chair of Radiology, Dr. William Dillon, to learn what it is exactly that radiologists do!