Types of Radiologists

Radiologists are medical doctors who specialize in the process of diagnosing and treating various diseases and injuries using medical imaging. It is estimated that less than two percent of doctors have specialized training in this field. After successfully completing medical school, graduates who choose to specialize in radiology work in several fields of concentration.

General Radiologist

General radiologists use common methods of medical imaging including x-ray, MRI and ultrasound to diagnose and treat patients.

Interventional Radiologist

Interventional radiologists focus on the treatment of diseases through the use of various minimally invasive methods. Their typical duties include performing biopsies, stenting, embolization and angioplasty in order to treat cancer, stroke and other diseases.

Nuclear Medicine Radiologist

Nuclear medicine radiologists specialize in the use of radioactive materials, called radiopharmaceuticals, to produce images of organs in order to visualize diseases. This type of radiologist typically injects these radiopharmaceuticals into the patient’s veins in order to treat cancer, tumors and other medical conditions.

In addition to the specific method of radiology performed, these physicians may also train in a subspecialty field that will pertain to a certain age group, part of the body or disease. These subspecialties include:

• radiation oncology


• breast imaging


• neuroadiology


• pediatric radiology


• chest radiology