An indepth view of radiography
RADIOGRAPHY has been one of the key allied medical science fields that has made huge contributions to the development of imaging techniques and disease diagnosis.
Radiographers have come a long way from just managing and interpreting results of X- rays to the handling of MRI and other sophisticated technology.
Hence, there is always a demand for radiographers especially with the growing number of healthcare institutions and the move to further expand healthcare capabilities with various medical imaging technology.
The term radiographer is often confused with radiologist. A radiologist is a medical doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating diseases as well as injuries using medical imaging technologies such as X- rays, computed tomography ( CT), magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography ( PET), ultrasound and others. On the other hand, a radiographer is an allied health professional.
Radiographers are split into two categories – diagnostic radiographers and therapeutic radiographers. A diagnostic radiographer or medical imaging technologist uses medical imaging technology to produce images for diagnosis and treatment of a disease or injury. Diagnostic radiographers acquire the images and pass them to a radiologist for interpretation and diagnosis.
Therapeutic radiographers, also known as radiation therapists, however, use a wide range of therapeutic and cancer therapy equipment to plan and deliver accurate radiation for the treatment of tumours and cancers. This group of radiographers works closely with oncologists and medical physicists to provide treatments and cancer care.
According to Chan Lai Kuan, honorary advisor for the Malaysian Society of Radiographers and lecturer at University of Malaya, radiography is an integral aspect of medical healthcare and is the backbone of the field of medicine.
“Both diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers provide essential services every year to millions of people. Without detailed and highquality images, physicians will be lost and have significant difficulty in diagnosing what is happening within the human body. Treatment will not be as effective and valuable time will be lost,” she says.
“With the increasing number of reported cancer cases, therapeutic radiographers are required to plan course versus cost of treatment and delivery as well as the daily care and support to the patient,” she adds.
Radiography is also often mistaken as a highly dangerous job due to concerns of radiation exposure from X- ray and CT equipment. This is untrue, as radiographers are trained to handle equipment according to guidelines and safety protocols drafted by international bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and local bodies such as the Department of Standards Malaysia and the Ministry of Health.
Almost all medical imaging equipment these days come with safety features to protect both patients and radiographers who are operating them.
Radiographers can work both in public and private sectors. Upon graduation, radiographers who are placed in the public sector will be stationed at hospitals and clinics.
In the private sector, however, the scope of duty for a radiographer varies depending on his or her employer and may be required to undergo further training upon hire.
Radiography consists of both physical and biological sciences. Here are some academic fields that are fundemental in radiography.
Physics
– Imaging technology uses knowledge on both managing radiation or other imaging sources for diagnostic purposes and electronic knowledge for the operation of diagnostic devices.
Biology
– Biology is also a key component in radiography. Radiographers need to be well- versed in human anatomy. Other areas of human biology that are taught to radiotherapy students include physiology and pathology.
Mathematics
– In addition to physics, mathematics also plays a role in operating equipment and calibrating them.
Information technology
– Almost all radiography equipment these days are digitised and many now rely on computers to operate them. Hence, students must be computer literate and tech savvy when it comes to operating and managing these equipment.
RADIOGRAPHY is a profession that is based on both practice and knowledge. As much as we now know what it takes to become a radiographer, let us take a glimpse into the life of Chan XueQin, who is a practising radiographer and the acting head of department of imaging department, Oriental Melaka Straits Medical Centre.
Why radiography?
When I was young, I visited a relative who was in hospital and I came across staff in charge of medical imaging. They were very caring and concerned for the well- being of the patient. This occupation seemed to me like a very positive and interesting job, and could possibly be rewarding at a much deeper level.
I was a science stream student and right after leaving school, I pursued a three- year Diploma in Medical Imaging course at Mahsa University College.
During my studies, I was posted to various hospitals for practical and clinical experience. It was a crucial time to absorb as much knowledge as I could to prepare myself for the workforce.
As a radiographer, we are the “eyes” of the medical team and our role is crucial in the diagnosis stage and post- treatment, along the patient’s road to recovery.
What is a typical day like?
There is never a dull moment being a radiographer as we are constantly mobile and have to apply myriad techniques to operate various machines – be it in the emergency triage, operation theatre, cardiac catheterisation laboratory, the wards or the imaging department. We get to meet people from all walks of life. It is not a desk job for sure and involves a lot of hands- on abilities. We try our best to produce the optimal image quality, balancing that off with the safety of patients. At the same time, we ensure a smooth transition of work flow while working with doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. Radiographers are always prepared for emergencies ( code blue) as anything can happen at any time and the patient is our number one priority.
What about challenges on the job?
Dealing with some patients who are in excruciating pain during emergency situations is challenging. Time is key and these patients must be dealt with professionally without forgetting their relatives who are also very concerned.
Patients who are very ill and fragile are also very challenging to work with, especially if they are very young or very old. Being flexible and dynamically adaptive would be an essential trait to have in such situations.
And achievements?
There were several times where I produced excellent- quality images when it would have been deemed impossible to obtain due to the patient’s serious medical complications. Because of my work, the doctor was able to diagnose the patient’s illness accurately, thus saving the patient’s condition from worsening. An achievement to me is when the whole team has done its best to produce outstanding images despite handling a difficult case.
Advice for school- leavers?
I would recommend school- leavers to visit a radiography teaching hospital for a day or two to see what is it like to be a radiographer or, even better, try to get a temporary placement as an observer to get a feel of working in a hospital environment. Radiography is not only about handling state- of- the- art machines but also dealing with real people with real problems.