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A radiologic technologist, also known as a radiographer, is a professional in the medical field who is responsible for taking medical images of the body, usually with an X-ray machine, and interpreting them in order to help doctors to diagnose and treat ailments and injuries. If one is interested in this medical field, education and training is needed and can be acquired from hospitals, universities, colleges and radiology technologist schools. The term radiology technologist is a substantially broad term and can refer to a wide range of specializations that one can take. An individual, among many others, can be a radiographer, sonographer or therapist by specializing in a certain field. They usually take control of advanced equipment that is capable of capturing high quality images of the different parts of the body. A radiology technologist can specialize in different fields, like Diagnostic Radiography for example, which deals with taking images of the bones, cavities and other foreign objects inside the body. Sonography is another example, and makes use of ultrasound technology to render images of the body, while Radiotherapy uses radiation in eradicating or reducing the number of cancerous cells in the body. One can also take on Fluoroscopy, CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), Nuclear Medicine and Mammography. A radiology technologist’s primary responsibility is to prepare patients for the scanning procedure that they will undergo and explaining to them everything they need to know in order to successfully capture images. Since X-rays are the common equipment used, they must make sure that patients are not wearing any interfering objects like jewelries and ensure that they get utmost protection from too much radiation thru the use of lead shields. Radiographers make use radiographic equipment by properly positioning it at the correct angle and height over the area of the patient’s body that needs to be scanned. With the help of an instrument similar to a measuring tape, they are able to determine the appropriate thickness of the area to be scanned and control the equipment to provide images of the right detail, contrast and density. They then position an X-ray film underneath the body part to be scanned and make the exposure, after which the film gets developed for analysis. A radiology technologist must be able to follow the directions given to him by the doctor, as well as the safety standards set by his workplace in operation of radiographic equipment, and ensure his safety, including patients and co-workers as well. They can also be tasked with keeping patient records, maintain medical equipment, organize work schedules, review equipment purchases, and also manage a radiology department.