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HomeFieldsAllied Health ProfessionsRadiologic Technologist

Career Profile

ExploreHealthCareers.org/radiologictechnologist

Radiologic Technologist

Overview

Radiologic technologists are the health care professionals who perform diagnostic imaging procedures, such as X-ray examinations, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, and Computed Tomography (CT) scans.

According to the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, there are 257,000 registered radiologic technologists in the United States. A recent survey of radiologic technologists reports the top 3 reasons current professionals entered this field are:

  • They wanted an interesting career;
  • They wanted a profession that helps people; and
  • They wanted a profession with plenty of jobs.

For more information on what current radiologic technologists think about the career, see the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Website.

To meet a radiologic technologist and find out what it's like to work in this field, see the NIH "Lifeworks" website. To learn more about this career, watch the video profile of "Radiologic Technologists."

During a diagnostic imaging examination, the bones, vessels, tissues and organs of the body are captured on film, on videotape or as a digital file. A physician then evaluates the images to detect injury, diagnose disease, or evaluate the progress of a treatment or therapy.

You can download, save and print a PDF of this career profile:

Radiologic Tech 14 May 2008 [pdf, 167 KB]

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A technician helps a patient into a diagnostic machine. (Photo: Seth Wenig for The New York Times)

Salary: $42,000 - $65,000 [*]

Years in school: 1 - 4 after high school graduation

Job outlook: Excellent

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